Diblock copolymer containing bioinspired borneol and dopamine moieties: Synthesis and antibacterial coating applications

Abstract

Diblock copolymer poly[(N-3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl acrylamide)-b-(borneolacrylate)] (PDA-b-PBA) containing mussel-inspired adhesive dopamine and natural herb-based antibacterial borneol was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and further used to fabricate efficient and durable antibacterial coating. The synthesized monomers, polymers, and prepared PDA-b-PBA coating were comprehensively characterized by various techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements showed homogeneous and smooth morphology of the prepared block polymer coating. The reported bio-based polymer coating exhibited robust adhesion on various substrates (including silica, alumina, silicon, and stainless steel) and excellent broad-spectrum antibacterial capability with the inhibition ratios of 92.7% and 81.3% for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. More importantly, the PDA-b-PBA coating can be easily fabricated on cotton fabric and commercial gauze to develop enhanced antibacterial textiles with durable wash fastness and excellent biocompatibility. Our findings illustrate that the reported PDA-b-PBA diblock copolymer would find promising antibacterial applications.