Preparation and characterization of a novel antibacterial fiber modified by quaternary phosphonium salt on the surface of polyacrylonitrile fiber

Abstract

A novel antibacterial fiber named MTPB-PANF was synthesized by chemical modification of polyacrylonitrile fiber (PANF). The PANF was firstly reacted with alkali solution to get Na-PANF with -COONa functional groups. Na-PANF was then reacted with different concentration of methyltriphenyl phosphonium bromide (MTPB) into flasks, and the whole system was immersed into a to and fro vibrator. During the synthesis process, this paper investigated on the initial concentration of MTPB, the contact time, the reaction temperature and the pH of the solution that may have effect on the properties of the final fiber. The properties of MTPB-PANF were discussed by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the stability of organophosphorus groups on MTPB-PANF examined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The antibacterial activity of MTPB-PANF was examined against pathogenic Escherichia coli and Staphylococci aureus by improved shake flask method in sterile saline and was evaluated by the viable cell counting method. The obtained results showed an excellent antibacterial activity of MTPB-PANF. And the antibacterial mechanism was discussed by the concentration of K+ released from cells after bacterial testing.