Abstract
AbstractDeveloping advanced materials with antibacterial and antifouling activities offers an adequate protection solution against surface bacterial contamination—a common cause of infection threatening human health. The current work reports the preparation of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) microfiber membranes decorated with photoactive Ag‐TiO2 nanoparticles using electrospinning coupled with dip‐coating methods. The decoration of Ag‐TiO2 nanoparticles strongly enhances the antibacterial properties of prepared membranes, particularly under light illumination, thanks to their photocatalytic activity. The best‐performing sample exhibits potent antibacterial efficiency exceeding 99% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis after 3 and 1 h of exposure to low‐power commercial LED light, respectively. The prepared samples also display excellent reusability with an insignificant antibacterial activity decrease after three cycles (<2% loss in antibacterial efficiency). Furthermore, these samples effectively prevent bacterial fouling due to their potent antibacterial properties. Notably, despite the strong antibacterial effect, decorated Ag‐TiO2 nanoparticles promote the adhesion of microorganisms, accelerating the biodegradation of PHB microfibers. As a result, the prepared microfiber membranes with nanoparticle decoration exhibit biodegradability comparable to the non‐decorated membrane, with the soil degradation rates reaching almost 99% after only 6 weeks.
Published Version
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