High-Performance Aramids with Intrinsic Bactericide Activity

Aramids, renowned for their high-performance attributes, find applications in critical fields such as protective equipment, aerospace components, and industrial filters. However, challenges arise in scenarios in which frequent washing is impractical, leading to bacterial proliferation, especially in...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Parra de la Parra, Sandra de la, Miguel, Álvaro, Fernández Pampín, Natalia, Rumbo Lorenzo, Carlos, García Pérez, José Miguel, Arnáiz Alonso, Ana, Trigo López, Miriam
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Burgos (UBU)
Repositorio:Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos (RIUBU)
OAI Identifier:oai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/9346
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10259/9346
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Aramids
High-performance polymers
Advanced functionalities
Bactericide
Textile
Química analítica
Polímeros
Química orgánica
Chemistry, Analytic
Polymers
Chemistry, Organic
Descripción
Sumario:Aramids, renowned for their high-performance attributes, find applications in critical fields such as protective equipment, aerospace components, and industrial filters. However, challenges arise in scenarios in which frequent washing is impractical, leading to bacterial proliferation, especially in textiles. This study outlines a straightforward and scalable method for preparing aramid-coated textiles and films endowed with inherent bactericidal activity, achieved by reacting parent aramids with vanillin. The functionalization of the aramids with bactericide moieties not only preserved the high-performance characteristics of commercial aramids but also improved their crucial mechanical properties. Tensile tests revealed an increase in Young’s modulus, up to 50% compared to commercial m-aramid, accompanied by thermal performance comparable to commercial m-aramids. The evaluation of these coated textiles as bactericidal materials demonstrated robust effectiveness with A parameters (antibacterial activity) of 4.31 for S. aureus and 3.44 for K. pneumoniae. Reusability tests (washing the textiles in harsh conditions) underscored that the bactericide-coated textiles maintain their performance over at least 5 cycles. Regarding practical applications, tests performed with reconstructed human epidermis affirmed the nonirritating nature of these materials to the skin. The distinctive qualities of these metal-free intrinsic bactericidal aramids position them as ideal candidates for scenarios demanding a synergy of high performance and bactericidal properties. Applications such as first responders’ textiles or filters stand to benefit significantly from these advanced materials.