Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Free University of Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2024 May 31;14(1):12496. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-61483-8.
Designing materials capable of disinfecting water without releasing harmful by-products is an ongoing challenge. Here, we report a novel polycationic sponge material synthesized from chitosan derivatives and cellulose fibers, exhibiting antibacterial properties. The design of such material is based on three key principles. First, the formation of a highly porous structure through cryogelation for an extensive surface area. Second, the incorporation of cationic quaternary ammonium moieties onto chitosan to enhance bacterial adsorption and antibacterial activity. Lastly, the reinforcement of mechanical properties through integration of cellulose fibers. The presented sponge materials exhibit up to a 4-log (99.99%) reduction within 6 h against both gram-positive B. subtilis and gram-negative E. coli. Notably, QCHI90/Cell, with the highest surface charge, exhibits a 2-4.5 log reduction within 1 h of incubation time. The eco-friendly synthesis from water and readily available biomaterials, along with cost-effectiveness and simplicity, underscores its versatility and feasibility of upscaling. Together with its outstanding antibacterial activity, this macroporous biomaterial emerges as a promising candidate for water disinfection applications.
设计能够消毒水而不释放有害副产品的材料是一个持续的挑战。在这里，我们报告了一种由壳聚糖衍生物和纤维素纤维合成的新型聚阳离子海绵材料，具有抗菌性能。这种材料的设计基于三个关键原则。首先，通过冷冻凝胶化形成高度多孔结构，以获得更大的表面积。其次，在壳聚糖上引入阳离子季铵基团，以增强细菌吸附和抗菌活性。最后，通过整合纤维素纤维来增强机械性能。所提出的海绵材料在 6 小时内对革兰氏阳性的枯草芽孢杆菌和革兰氏阴性的大肠杆菌的减少量高达 4 个对数（99.99%）。值得注意的是，表面电荷最高的 QCHI90/Cell 在 1 小时的孵育时间内减少了 2-4.5 个对数。这种从水和现成的生物材料中进行的环保合成，以及其成本效益和简单性，突出了其多功能性和扩大规模的可行性。这种大孔生物材料与出色的抗菌活性一起，成为水消毒应用的有前途的候选材料。
