Highly Durable Antibacterial Textiles: Cross-Linked Protonated Polyaniline-Polyacrylic Acid with Prolonged Electrical Stability

• Published in: ACS Omega
• Main Author: Aizamddin M.F.; Zainal Ariffin Z.; Nor Amdan N.A.; Nawawi M.A.; Jani N.A.; Safian M.F.; Shaffee S.N.A.; Nik Mohamed Daud N.M.R.; Myo Thant M.M.; Mahat M.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85194273378&doi=10.1021%2facsomega.3c09871&partnerID=40&md5=70b3b9561e1d966df0bbbacdf7fb20fa

This study addressed the limited antibacterial durability of textile materials, which has suppressed their applications in preventing infectious disease transmission. A class of highly durable antibacterial textiles was developed by incorporating protonated polyaniline (PANI) textile with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as the functional binder via cross-linking polymerization. The resulting PAA-PANI textile exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity, reaching 8.33 ± 0.04 × 10-3 S/cm when cross-linked with 30% PAA. Remarkably, this textile maintains its electrical stability at 10-3 S/cm even after 50 washing cycles, demonstrating unparalleled durability. Furthermore, the PANI-PAA textile showcases remarkable antibacterial efficacy, with 95.48% efficiency against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 92.35% efficiency against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, even after 50 washing cycles. Comparatively, the PAA-PANI textile outperforms its PANI counterpart by achieving an astounding 80% scavenging activity rate, whereas the latter only displayed a rate of 3.22%. This result suggests a solid integration of PAA-PANI into the textile, leading to sustainable antioxidant release. The successful cross-linking of PAA-PANI in textiles holds significant implications for various industries, offering a foundation for the development of wearable textiles with unprecedented antibacterial durability and electrical stability. This breakthrough opens new avenues for combating infectious diseases and enhancing the performance of wearable technologies. © 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.