Light-induced antibacterial and UV-protective properties of polyamide 56 biomaterial modified with anthraquinone and benzophenone derivatives

Abstract

The bio-based material polyamide 56 (PA 56) is a new kind of biopolymer. Reactive Blue P-3R, which is a derivative of anthraquinone, can react directly with the amino groups on PA 56. 3,3′,4,4′-Benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid (BPTCA), which is a photoactive derivative of benzophenone, can also react directly with the amino groups on PA 56 to form amide bonds. The modified bio-based PA 56 fabrics not only exhibited excellent ultraviolet (UV) protective property, but also exhibited important photochemical properties, such as producing reactive oxygen species, including hydroxyl radicals (HO) under UV light exposure. The hydroxyl radical-generating abilities of these materials were measured, and their photochemical reactive mechanisms were discussed. The modified PA 56 fabrics demonstrated good antimicrobial activities against both E. coli and S. aureus. Reactive Blue P-3R and BPTCA exhibited good synergistic properties. These modified biomaterials could therefore be used in medical textiles and biological materials.