Thermal Cross-linking Method Research Articles

Thermal Cross-Linking preparation of Aqueous-Based cathodic films for enhanced stability in organic electrochromic devices

Four derivatives of naphthalene diimide (NDI) small molecules with different polar functional side chains were designed and synthesized. The corresponding polymers, PNDI-5C/8C/DC/TC, were further prepared by thermal cross-linking method and utilized to fabricate organic electrochromic films. All of the PNDI-5C/8C/DC/TC films exhibit solvent resistance characteristics in commonly used organic solvents and water, and they possess varied surface energies, reduction voltages and electrochemical stabilities in aqueous electrolytes. The PNDI-TC film, which has the highest hydrophilicity, has a high optical contrast of 43.3 % with a short coloring time of 1.9 s and bleaching time of 0.6 s. Most importantly, the performance of the organic electrochromic device based on PNDI-TC can maintain almost 100 % contrast after 1000 cycles, showing great potential in the application of aqueous-based organic electrochromic device.

Effects of polyacrylonitrile carboxylation on pore structure and performance of thermally crosslinked organic solvent nanofiltration membrane

In this work, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes were hydrolyzed with NaOH solution, and then hydrolyzed PAN (HPAN) membranes were used to prepare organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membranes with thermal crosslinking method. The chemical structure and pore structure evolutions of membrane during hydrolysis and thermal crosslinking were systematically investigated. The influences of hydrolysis carboxylation on permeation performances of membranes were studied in detail. Benefiting from the carboxylic groups generated by hydrolysis reaction of nitrile groups, the cyclization reaction of HPAN molecular chains was more easily initiated by ionic mechanism at a lower temperature, and the pore structure fusion of thermally crosslinked membranes was effectively inhibited. The permeances of the thermally crosslinked membranes derived from HPAN membranes were greatly improved. Furthermore, the thermally crosslinked membrane showed stable OSN performance due to the generation of ladder structure during thermal crosslinking. Therefore, the OSN membranes prepared in this work have great potential for practical applications.

Thermally Crosslinked Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework Membranes for Highly Selective Ion Separation.

The weak bonding energy and flexibility of hydrogen bonds can hinder the long-term use of hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) materials under harsh conditions. Here we invented a thermal-crosslinking method to form polymer materials based on a diamino triazine (DAT) HOF (FDU-HOF-1), containing high-density hydrogen bonding of N-H⋯N. With the increase of temperature to 648 K, the formation of -NH- bonds between neighboring HOF tectons by releasing NH3 was observed based on the disappearance of the characteristic peaks of amino groups on FDU-HOF-1 in the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ss-NMR). The variable temperature PXRD indicated the formation of a new peak at 13.2° in addition to the preservation of the original diffraction peaks of FDU-HOF-1. The water adsorption, acid-base stability (12 M HCl to 20 M NaOH) and solubility experiments concluded that the thermally crosslinked HOFs (TC-HOFs) are highly stable. The membranes fabricated by TC-HOF demonstrate the permeation rate of K+ ions as high as 270 mmol m-2 h-1 as well as high selectivity of K+/Mg2+ (50) and Na+/Mg2+ (40), which was comparable to Nafion membranes. This study provides guidance for the future design of highly stable crystalline polymer materials based on HOFs.

A dual force cross-linked γ-PGA-PAA binder enhancing the cycle stability of silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon (Si) is considered to be one of the most suitable anode materials for high energy density lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, the practical application of Si anode is limited by its huge volume change, leading to the rupture of electrode during cycling. In this study, a natural polymer of poly-glutamic acid ( γ -PGA) is derived from nattomycin gum and poly-acrylic acid (PAA) through thermal cross-linking method and served as a dual force cross-linked binder. The two polymers are firmly bonded by dehydration to form the cross-linked γ -PGA-PAA binder with stable ester bonds, which readily creates hydrogen bonding forces with the hydroxyl groups on Si surface. The γ -PGA-PAA exhibits robust mechanical properties to achieve excellent electrochemical performance of Si-based electrode. When the γ -PGA-PAA is used as binder of Si nanoparticle anodes, the capacity retention of Si/ γ -PGA-PAA electrode can reach 63.1% after 300 cycles at charge/discharge current density of 420 mA g −1 with a mass loading of about 0.7 mg cm −2 . As a comparison, the capacity retentions of the Si/PAA and Si/ γ -PGA electrodes are respectively 8.7 and 17.9% under the same conditions. At higher current density of 2940 mA g −1 , the capacity retention of Si/PAA electrode has dropped dramatically to 23.3%, and the Si/ γ -PGA-PAA electrode keeps still high-capacity retention of 72.5% after 400 cycles, while the Si/ γ -PGA electrode can only last 40 cycles. When the three binders are applied to SiO electrode with 1 mg cm −2 loading, the γ-PGA-PAA binder yields also the highest capacity retention of 87.3% after 100 cycles at 160 mA g −1 , while those corresponding to PAA and γ-PGA binders are 81.3% and 74.9%, respectively. XPS characterization results indicate that the γ -PGA-PAA binder has a strong adhesion to Si particles. This cross-linked binder network of γ -PGA-PAA effectively enhances the cycling performance and maintains the structural integrity of Si and SiO electrodes.

Effect of Polymer Concentration and Crosslinking Time On Drug Release from Microspheres of Mucuna Gum

The study investigated the feasibility of delivering diclofenac sodium in microspheres of mucuna gum and whether polymer concentration and crosslinking time would affect drug release. Diclofenac sodium microspheres were successfully prepared using the chemical and thermal crosslinking method. Gluteraldehyde was used as the crosslinking agent. Thereafter, invitro release of diclofenac sodium from the microspheres was evaluated using simulated intestinal fluid as the medium. Increase in mucuna gum concentration did not delay rate of drug release but increased total cumulative drug released. Increase in crosslinking time slowed down release of the drug from the microspheres, an indication that modification of crosslinking time is important for sustained release. This could contribute towards producing sustained release diclofenac sodium which will improve patient compliance as a result of subsequent reduction in dosing frequency. None of the batches gave 100% drug release. This being the case, drug loading can be modified for optimum therapeutic effect.

Preparation of core-sheath nanofibers with high latent heat by thermal cross-linking and coaxial electrospinning

Stable energy storage materials have become the research focus today. Coaxial electrospinning can prepare core-sheath nanofibers loaded with phase change materials (PCMs). This method requires the sheath solution have good spinnability and encapsulation ability. Suitable solutions can be prepared by the thermal cross-linking method to improve the properties of nanofibers. Choose hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as cross-linking agents to adjust the performance of polyvinyl butyral (PVB)/N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution. The adjustment of β-CD addition amount and thermal cross-linking time prepared the best sheath solution as PVB/50CD/HDI. The latent heat of nanofibers prepared by using this sheath solution could be as high as 137.05 J/g. In the meantime, the properties of nanofibers in thermal decomposition, mechanical strength, and elongation rate were also improved. The thermal cycle test proved the good stability of core-sheath nanofibers. This work lays the foundation for the further development of temperature-regulating fibers with high latent heat and performance.

A facile, effective thermal crosslinking to balance stability and proton conduction for proton exchange membranes based on blend sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)

The development of hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte membranes with high proton conductivities and good stability as alternatives to perfluorosulfonic acid membranes is an ongoing research effort. A facile and effective thermal crosslinking method was carried out on the blended sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone)/poly (aryl ether sulfone) (SPEEK/SPAES) system. Two SPEEK polymers with ion exchange capacities (IECs) of 1.6 and 2.0 mmol g−1 and one SPAES polymer (2.0 mmol g−1) were selected to create different blends. The effect of thermal crosslinking on the fundamental properties of the membranes, especially their physicochemical stability and electrochemical performance, were investigated in detail. The homogeneous and flexible thermally-crosslinked SPEEK/SPAES membranes displayed excellent mechanical toughness (27–46 Mpa), suitable water uptake (<60%), high dimensional stability (swelling ratio < 15%) and large proton conductivity (>120 mS cm−1) at 80 °C. The thermal crosslinking membranes also show significantly enhanced hydrolytic (<2.5%) and oxidative stability (<2%). Fuel cell with t-SPEEK/SPAES (1:2:2) membrane achieves a power density of 665 mW cm−2 at 80 °C.

Solvent Resistant Hole-Transporting Thin Films via Diacetylene Cross-Linking and Their Applications in Solution-Processed QLEDs

A diacetylene based thermal cross-linking method for hole transporting layers (HTLs) has been investigated. The thin-films of 4,4-bis(carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl (CBP) oligomers functionalized with diac...

Hemostatic, Tissue-Adhesive Colloidal Wound Dressing Functionalized by UV Irradiation.

Topical hemostatic agents have been widely used to stop intra-/postoperative bleeding from wounds and resected tissue surfaces. However, hemostatic agents that can accelerate blood coagulation and promote wound healing have not been established because of their poor tissue adhesiveness under wet conditions. Here, we report a colloidal wound dressing of hemostatic and tissue-adhesive hydrophobized microparticles (hMPs) functionalized by UV irradiation. hMPs were prepared by adding ethanol to hydrophobically modified Alaska pollock gelatin and applying the thermal cross-linking method. The hMPs were then subjected to simple UV irradiation to introduce hydrophilic groups. The UV-irradiated hMPs improved water/blood absorption and exerted hemostatic property in a rat model of liver injury. On the other hand, the hMPs maintained tissue adhesiveness even after UV irradiation owing to the cohesion force generated by hydrophobic interactions between the hMPs. Moreover, the hMPs did not show undesirable adhesion to other tissues after swelling. This colloidal wound dressing can be used to promote tissue regeneration in intra-/postoperative wounds through hemostasis and protection from postoperative adhesion.

Facile and Green Strategy for Designing Ultralight, Flexible, and Multifunctional PVA Nanofiber‐Based Aerogels

AbstractPolymer nanofiber aerogels are highly flexible and elastic. However, their preparation in a simple, low‐cost, and environmentally friendly manner remains challenging. Herein, a green strategy for preparing an ultralight poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofiber aerogel by electrospinning and freeze‐drying is reported. A simple thermal crosslinking method is used to make a mechanically robust material that can withstand up to 1000 times its own weight, i.e., no toxic crosslinking agents or organic solvents are used in any part of the fabrication process. The optimal aerogel has high porosity (99.1%), and consequently excellent thermal insulation performance and low thermal conductivity (0.033 W m−1 K−1). Furthermore, the flexibility and hierarchical micronano structure of the aerogel qualify it as a promising candidate for air filters and intelligent wearable sensors.

Preparation and characterization of pea protein isolate-pullulan blend electrospun nanofiber films

The objective of this work was to fabricate and characterize food-grade pea protein isolate (PPI) and carbohydrate polymer pullulan (PUL) nanofiber films by using green electrospinning technology. The effect of the blend ratios on the PPI/PUL solution properties (e.g. viscosity, surface tension and electrical conductivity) and morphology of the resulting electrospun nanofibers was investigated. The presence of PUL in the blends resulted in decreased apparent viscosity (P < 0.05), stable surface tension (42.09–46.26 mN/m) (P < 0.05) and lower conductivity of the solutions (P < 0.05), which were due to a better chain entanglement and decrease in the polyelectrolyte protein character, respectively, both factors were needed for uniform nanofiber (around 203 nm) formation. Rheological evaluation indicated a pseudoplastic behavior for all formulations. The Fourier transform infrared spectral changes and XRD patterns indicated that the protein and polysaccharide were well tangled in nanofibers. The results of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicate that thermal stability of the electrospun nanofiber films were improved in comparison to pure PUL. Finally, in order to expand the application range of the electrospun nanofiber films in future, thermal crosslinking method was conducted and water contact angles (WCAs) of the thermal treated nanofiber films exhibited better hydrophobic properties compared to the un-crosslinking samples.

Design and fabrication of poly (glycerol sebacate)‐based fibers for neural tissue engineering: Synthesis, electrospinning, and characterization

Poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a thermoset biodegradable elastomer considered as a promising candidate material for nerve applications. However, PGS synthesis is very time and energy consuming. In this study, the PGS pre‐polymer (pPGS) was synthesized using three synthesis times of 3, 5, and 7 hours at 170°C. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry thermogram were utilized to study the pPGS behavior. Poly (vinyl alcohol) was used as a carrier to fabricate aligned poly (vinyl alcohol)‐poly (glycerol sebacate) (PVA‐PGS) fibers with various ratios (60:40, 50:50, and 40:60) using electrospinning and crosslinked through the thermal crosslinking method. Morphology of the fibers was studied before and after crosslinking using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR, mechanical properties in the dry and wet state, water contact angle, in vitro degradation, and water uptake behavior of crosslinked scaffolds were also investigated. 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, SEM analysis, and 4′, 6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) staining were utilized to determine the biocompatibility of scaffolds. The results show the synthesized pPGS in 3 hours at 170°C is the optimized sample in the terms of chemical reaction. All scaffolds have bead‐free and a uniform fiber diameter. The Young's modulus of crosslinked PVA‐PGS (50:50 and 40:60) fibers is shown to be in the expected range for nerve applications. The cell culture studies reveal PVA‐PGS (50:50 and 40:60) fibers could lead to better cell adhesion and proliferation. The results suggest that PVA‐PGS (50:50 and 40:60) is a suitable and promising biodegradable material in the fabrication of scaffolds for nerve regeneration.

Reinforced anion exchange membrane based on thermal cross-linking method with outstanding cell performance for reverse electrodialysis.

A poly(ethylene)-reinforced anion exchange membrane based on cross-linked quaternary-aminated polystyrene and quaternary-aminated poly(phenylene oxide) was developed for reverse electrodialysis. Although reverse electrodialysis is a clean and renewable energy generation system, the low power output and high membrane cost are serious obstacles to its commercialization. Herein, to lower the membrane cost, inexpensive polystyrene and poly(phenylene oxide) were used as ionomer backbones. The ionomers were impregnated into a poly(ethylene) matrix supporter and were cross-linked in situ to enhance the mechanical and chemical properties. Pre-treatment of the porous PE matrix membrane with atmospheric plasma increased the compatibility between the ionomer and matrix membrane. The fabricated membranes showed outstanding physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties. The area resistance of the fabricated membranes (0.69–1.67 Ω cm2) was lower than that of AMV (2.58 Ω cm2). Moreover, the transport number of PErC(5)QPS-QPPO was comparable to that of AMV, despite the thinness (51 μm) of the former. The RED stack with the PErC(5)QPS-QPPO membrane provided an excellent maximum power density of 1.82 W m−2 at a flow rate of 100 mL min−1, which is 20.7% higher than that (1.50 W m−2) of the RED stack with the AMV membrane.

Synthesis of high-performance sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-based adsorbent for effective removal of methylene blue and Pb (II)

In this work, a biobased adsorbent (CMC-PAMA) consisting of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid and polyacrylamide was prepared by a simple thermal crosslinking method for the removal of methylene blue (MB) and Pb (II) from aqueous solutions. The CMC-PAMA showed excellent static adsorption capacities for MB and Pb (II) of 1611.44 mg·g−1 840.11 mg·g−1, respectively, indicating its excellent performance on dyes dynamic removal. The adsorption performance of the as-prepared CMC-PAMA could be fitted well with pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isothermal model. The adsorption mechanism between CMC-PAMA and Pb (II) was confirmed by FT-IR, XPS and ion-exchange behavior. Interestingly, CMC-PAMA showed high efficiency for separation of MB/methyl orange (MO) mixtures, low equilibrium swelling ratio (0.52 g·g−1) in distilled water, good stability and reusability. With those combined advantages, CMC-PAMA could find potential application in wastewater treatment.

Strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite stimulates osteogenesis on poly(propylene fumarate) nanocomposite scaffolds.

Incorporation of hydroxyapatite (HA) into polymer networks is a promising strategy to enhance the mechanical properties and osteoinductivity of the composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. In this study, we designed a group of nanocomposite scaffolds based on cross-linkable poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) and 30 wt % strontium-hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA) nanoparticles. Four different Sr contents [Sr:(Sr + Ca), molar ratio] in the Sr-HA particles were studied: 0% (HA), 5% (Sr5-HA), 10% (Sr10-HA), and 20% (Sr20-HA). Two-dimensional (2D) disks were prepared using a thermal crosslinking method. The structure and surface morphology of different Sr-HA and PPF/Sr-HA composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). To detect cellular responses in vitro, MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded and cultured on the different PPF/Sr-HA composite disks. Cell morphology after 24 h and 5 days were imaged using Live/Dead live cell staining and SEM, respectively. Cell proliferation was quantified using an MTS assay at 1, 4, and 7 days. Osteogenic differentiation of the cells was examined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining at 10 days and quantified using ALP activity and osteocalcin assays at 7, 14, and 21 days. The sizes of the HA, Sr5-HA, Sr10-HA, and Sr20-HA particles were mainly between 10 × 20 nm and 10 × 250 nm, and these nanoparticles were dispersed or clustered in the composite scaffolds. in vitro cell studies showed that the PPF/Sr10-HA scaffold was significantly better than the other three groups (PPF/HA, PPF/Sr5-HA, and PPF/Sr20-HA) in supporting MC3T3-E1 cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. PPF/Sr10-HA may, therefore, serve as a promising scaffold material for bone tissue engineering. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 631-642, 2019.

Polymers/zeolite nanocomposite membranes with enhanced thermal and electrochemical performances for lithium-ion batteries

The improvement of ionic conductivity, thermal property, as well as cycle performance, is key to promoting the development of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, a nanocomposite separator is prepared by electrospinning and subsequent thermal cross-linking method. The membrane exhibits a highly interconnected macro-porous structure. ZSM-5 molecular sieves are firmly attached to the membrane through chemical bonds. Molecular sieves with special channel structures and strong Lewis acidity are proposed to contribute to the disassociation of lithium salt and the transportation of lithium ion. The three-dimensional cross-linked membrane integrates advantages of ZSM-5, copolymers and polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), exhibiting enhanced electrolyte uptake, thermal stability and ionic conductivity. In addition, the cells with nanocomposite membranes possess better cycling performance and improved C-rate capability compared with those cells with polypropylene (PP) separators. The as-prepared nanocomposite separator is promising as a new kind of separator for advanced LIBs with enhanced electrochemical performance.

Thermal oxidative crosslinking of phenolphthalein-based cardo polyimides with enhanced gas permeability and selectivity

A proper increase of d-spacing after crosslinking is an effective strategy to enhance gas separation performance and anti-plasticization property of polymeric membranes. One way to achieve high chain distance is to design and prepare polymer precursors that have large side groups with crosslinkable functionality. Our previous research proved that the decarboxylation crosslinked polyimides connected by a biphenyl group showed enlarged d-spacing. However, the 100% crosslinking temperature is 425–450°C that is higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of most polymers and may cause problem for preparing asymmetric crosslink membranes. Here we proposed a thermal oxidative crosslinking method which had a lower crosslinking temperature than the decarboxylation crosslinking method. Specifically, we synthesized two phenolphthalein-based cardo diamines, MPP and PP, with or without CH3 substituted groups and prepared the 6FDA-MPP and 6FDA-PP polyimides. The lactone ring in the cardo moiety decomposed and the crosslinking reaction took place by heating the polymer in an air purge atmosphere. A 100% conversion of the crosslinking reaction was obtained at 400°C. In addition, the crosslinked polyimides showed increased d-spacing, high CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity than before. The best result for pure gas test was achieved for 6FDA-MPP-400, which had a CO2 permeability of 193.8 Barrer with a CO2/CH4 ideal selectivity of 39.2. No plasticization was observed for the 6FDA-MPP-400 and 6FDA-PP-400 polyimides at a CO2 pressure up to 450psia. In addition, both 6FDA-MPP-400 and 6FDA-PP-400 showed excellent mixed gas selectivity of 35 at a partial CO2 pressure of 147psia.

Three‐dimensional carbon nanotube scaffolds for long‐term maintenance and expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells

Expansion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and maintenance of their self-renewal capacity in vitro requires specialized robust cell culture systems. Conventional approaches using animal-derived or artificial matrices and a cocktail of growth factors have limitations such as consistency, scalability, pathogenicity, and loss of MSC phenotype. Herein, we report the use of all-carbon 3-D single- and multiwalled carbon nanotube scaffolds (SWCNTs and MWCNTs) as artificial matrices for long-term maintenance and expansion of human MSCs. Three-dimensional SWCNT and MWCNT scaffolds were fabricated using a novel radical initiated thermal cross-linking method that covalently cross-links CNTs to form 3-D macroporous all-carbon architectures. Adipose-derived human MSCs showed good cell viability, attachment, proliferation, and infiltration in MWCNT and SWCNT scaffolds comparable to poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) scaffolds (baseline control). ADSCs retained stem cell phenotype after 30 days and satisfied the International Society for Cellular Therapy's (ISCT) minimal criteria for MSCs. Post expansion, (1) ADSCs showed in vitro adherence to tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS); (2) MSC surface antigen expression [CD14(-), CD19(-), CD34(-), CD45(-), CD73(+), CD90(+), CD105(+)]; and (3) trilineage differentiation into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Results show that cross-linked 3-D MWCNTs and SWCNTs scaffolds are suitable for ex vivo expansion and maintenance of MSCs for therapeutic applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1927-1939, 2017.

Enhanced proton conductivity at low humidity of proton exchange membranes with triazole moieties in the side chains

Highly conductive, novel sulfonated poly(arylene ether) membranes with different amounts of triazole-introduced monomers (SPAE-TM) were prepared via conventional aromatic condensation reactions. The triazole-introduced monomer (TM) was used as a proton transfer moiety to increase the proton conductivities of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs). To compare the chemical, mechanical and thermal stabilities of non-crosslinked polymer electrolyte membranes (SPAE-TM10, SPAE-TM20), crosslinked polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared via the thermal crosslinking method (cSPAE-TM10, cSPAE-TM20). The SPAE-TM membranes exhibited excellent thermal stabilities, and the non-crosslinked SPAE-TM membranes showed satisfactory glass transition temperatures (Tg=250°C). The water uptakes and swelling ratios of the SPAE-TM membranes were successfully suppressed in comparison with the SPAE-TM0 membrane. The proton conductivities of all membranes were higher than those of Nafion 212 over a wide range of temperatures (0.211–0.256S/cm at 80°C, 100% R.H.). The SPAE-TM20 presented a proton conductivity that was 2.3 times higher than that of SPAE-TM0 at 80°C and 30% R.H.

Direct Loading and Tunable Release of Antibiotics from Polyelectrolyte Multilayers To Reduce Bacterial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation.

Bacteria adhesion on the surface of biomaterials and following biofilm formation are important problems in biomedical applications. The charged antibiotics with small molar mass can hardly deposit alternately with polymers into multilayered films to load the drug. Herein, the (poly(acrylic acid)-gentamicin/poly(ethylenimine))n ((PAA-GS/PEI)n) multilayer film was designed and constructed via a layer-by-layer self-assembly method. Low molar mass GS cations were first combined with polyanion PAA and self-assembled with PEI to form multilayer films showing exponential growth behavior. The GS dosage could be adjusted by changing the layer number of films. Furthermore, the thermal cross-linking method was used to control the release rate of GS in PBS buffer. Owing to the diffusion of GS, a zone of inhibition of about 7.0 mm showed the efficient disinfection activity of the multilayer film. It could also be seen from the biofilm inhibition assay that the multilayer film effectively inhibited bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. As the drug loading dosage was 160 μg/cm(2), the multilayer films showed very low cytotoxicity against human lens epithelial cells. The present work provides an easy way to load GS into multilayer films which can be applied to surface modification of implants and biomedical devices.