Vapor deposition of quaternary ammonium methacrylate polymers with high antimicrobial activity: Synthetic route, toxicity assessment, and durability analysis

Abstract

In this study, vapor phase deposition of quaternary ammonium polymers on different substrates was reported. Thin films of the poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) homopolymer and the poly(diethyl aminoethyl methacrylate-co-vinylbenzyl chloride) [P(DEAEMA-VBC)] copolymer were deposited by an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) technique using tert-butyl peroxide as an initiator. The variation of monomer feed ratios allowed control over the film structure. In the film structure, the tertiary amine group of DEAEMA is a key functionality behind the antibacterial activity, as verified after Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. The PDEAEMA homopolymer could be quaternized in a dry manner using an oxygen plasma treatment. The P(DEAEMA-VBC) copolymer, however, did not need an extra quaternization step because the tertiary amine group of the polymer could be readily quaternized by the chlorine moiety of the VBC unit. Both the homo- and copolymers exhibited high antibacterial activity on three different substrates, namely, glass, a polyethylene terephthalate sheet, and fabric. The antibacterial activity depended on the intensity of the quaternized nitrogen atoms in the as-deposited polymer. The adhesion and durability of the copolymer films were superior to that of the homopolymer film, verified using an adhesive tape peel-off test. The most durable copolymer film exhibited very high log-reduction values (>3) against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Based on e cell viability analysis, the antibacterial films deposited by iCVD in this study were found to be nontoxic.

From Antibacterial to Antibiofilm Targeting: An Emerging Paradigm Shift in the Development of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)

“…Schematic illustration of the precursor structures (a) and the scheme of the iCVD system (b) for obtaining QAC-based polymer films via the iCVD technique. Reproduced with permission from ref . Copyright 2020 American Vacuum Society.…”

“…Thus, biofilms cause up to 80% of chronic human bacterial infections and contribute to the development of microbial tolerance to traditional drugs and multidrug resistance . The ever-increasing number of resistant bacterial strains is of great concern because if this problem is left unaddressed, by 2050, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could claim more lives than cancer. − The presence of microbial colonies on textiles, especially hospital linens and clothing, as well as dressings, leads to the development of wound infection, dermatitis, and pruritus. − The formation of biofilms not only threatens the health of people worldwide but also affects many important industrial areas . For example, the biocorrosion of metals causes serious economic losses in the oil, maritime, and construction industries. , Many bacterial species from biofilms spoil food and lead to serious hygiene risks in the food, dairy, and wine industries .…”

Antimicrobial Modification of PET by Insertion of Menthoxy-Triazine

“…Until now, various substances with bactericidal activity, including quaternary ammonium salts (QAS), − metal nanoparticles − and N -halamine, , were introduced into PET to endow it with a strong antimicrobial performance by compounding, grafting, and other methods. For example, Wei et al used PEG and silver nanoparticles to modify PET with a microporous structure by a composite method, and doping 1% content of silver nanoparticles gave the PET film a good antibacterial ability .…”

One-step vapor deposition of fluorinated polycationic coating to fabricate antifouling and anti-infective textile against drug-resistant bacteria and viruses

“…Moreover, the polycationic coatings endowed various surfaces with antimicrobial activity without the alteration of the bulk property. By now, most antimicrobial polycationic coatings are focused on bacteria [26] , [27] . A study about fluorine-containing polycationic coatings on textiles with antifouling and antibacterial dual-function only aimed at bacteria [28] .…”