Silane-functionalized polyionenes-coated cotton fabrics with potent antimicrobial and antiviral activities

Cotton Fibers with a Lactic Acid-Like Surface for Re-establishment of Protective Lactobacillus Microbiota by Selectively Inhibiting Vaginal Pathogens

Failure to reconstruct the Lactobacillus microbiota is the major reason for the recurrence of vaginal infection. However, most empiric therapies focus on the efficacy of pathogen elimination but do not sufficiently consider the viability of Lactobacillus. Herein, cotton fibers with a lactic acid-like surface (LC) are fabricated by NaIO4 oxidation and L-isoserine grafting. The lactic acid analog chain ends and imine structure of LC can penetrate cell walls to cause protein cleavage in Escherichia coli and Candida albicans and inhibit vaginal pathogens. Meanwhile, the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus is unaffected by the LC treatment, thus revealing a selective way to suppress pathogens as well as provide a positive route to re-establish protective microbiota in the vaginal tract. Moreover, LC has excellent properties such as good biosafety, antiadhesion, water absorption, and weight retention. The strategy proposed here not only is practical, but also provides insights into the treatment of vaginal infections.

Engineering Sizable and Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Fabrics through Hydrogen Bonding Interaction and Electrostatic Interaction

Long-lasting and highly efficient antibacterial fabrics play a key role in public health occurrences caused by bacterial and viral infections. However, the production of antibacterial fabrics with a large size, highly efficient, and broad-spectrum antibacterial performance remains a great challenge due to the complex processes. Herein, we demonstrate sizable and highly efficient antibacterial fabrics through hydrogen bonding interaction and electrostatic interaction between surface groups of ZnO nanoparticles and fabric fibers. The production process can be carried out at room temperature and achieve a production rate of 300 × 1 m2 within 1 h. Under both visible light and dark conditions, the bactericidal rate against Gram-positive (S. aureus), Gram-negative (E. coli), and multidrug-resistant (MRSA) bacteria can reach an impressive 99.99%. Furthermore, the fabricated ZnO nanoparticle-decorated antibacterial fabrics (ZnO@fabric) show high stability and long-lasting antibacterial performance, making them easy to develop into variable antibacterial blocks for protection suits.

Highly Antibacterial and Self-Healing Janus Fabric for Effective Body Moisture/Thermal Management and Durable Waterproof

Despite the development of many functional fabrics, they are unable to meet practical needs due to their monolithic functions and low durability. Therefore, a multifunctional waterborne polyurethane nanodroplet containing disulfide bonds (WSPU) was synthesized using a simple and environmentally friendly approach. The functional WSPU nanodroplet coating endowed fabrics with a variety of properties, including exceptional hydrophobicity, antibacterial properties, self-healing at room temperature, directional transport, etc. The functionalized fabric demonstrated durable mechanical and chemical stabilities due to the combined effects of disulfide bond reconstruction and hydrophobic chain migration. It exhibited the ability to regain its hydrophobic properties at room temperature after 50 friction cycles were performed without requiring external stimulation. Furthermore, the fabric maintained a water contact angle above 140°, even after being subjected to washing, boiling, and immersion in acid and alkali solutions. In addition, as a result of the fabric's Janus-like wettability, it performed various functions in accordance with varying weather conditions, in terms of wearing comfort and breathability. In hot weather or during exercise, the Janus fabric with the hydrophilic side facing outward enhances the process of sweat-directed perspiration, resulting in a notable cooling effect. On rainy days, the Janus fabric, when positioned with the hydrophobic side facing outward, exhibited excellent waterproof performance. This study presents an opportunity to explore the development of multifunctional fabrics through the combined effects of several functions.

Silane coupling agent in biomedical materials

Medical devices are becoming more and more significant in our daily life. For implantable medical devices, good biocompatibility is required for further use in vivo. Thus, surface modification of medical devices is really important, which gives a wide application scene for a silane coupling agent. The silane coupling agent is able to form a durable bond between organic and inorganic materials. The dehydration process provides linking sites to achieve condensation of two hydroxyl groups. The forming covalent bond brings excellent mechanical properties among different surfaces. Indeed, the silane coupling agent is a popular component in surface modification. Metals, proteins, and hydrogels are using silane coupling agent to link parts commonly. The mild reaction environment also brings advantages for the spread of the silane coupling agent. In this review, we summarize two main methods of using the silane coupling agent. One is acting as a crosslinker mixed in the whole system, and the other is to provide a bridge between different surfaces. Moreover, we introduce their applications in biomedical devices.

Functional Textile Materials for Blocking COVID-19 Transmission

The outbreak of COVID-19 provided a warning sign for society worldwide: that is, we urgently need to explore effective strategies for combating unpredictable viral pandemics. Protective textiles such as surgery masks have played an important role in the mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, while revealing serious challenges in terms of supply, cross-infection risk, and environmental pollution. In this context, textiles with an antivirus functionality have attracted increasing attention, and many innovative proposals with exciting commercial possibilities have been reported over the past three years. In this review, we illustrate the progress of textile filtration for pandemics and summarize the recent development of antiviral textiles for personal protective purposes by cataloging them into three classes: metal-based, carbon-based, and polymer-based materials. We focused on the preparation routes of emerging antiviral textiles, providing a forward-looking perspective on their opportunities and challenges, to evaluate their efficacy, scale up their manufacturing processes, and expand their high-volume applications. Based on this review, we conclude that ideal antiviral textiles are characterized by a high filtration efficiency, reliable antiviral effect, long storage life, and recyclability. The expected manufacturing processes should be economically feasible, scalable, and quickly responsive.