High-efficacy and long term antibacterial cellulose material: anchored guanidine polymer via double "click chemistry"

Herein, we introduce antimicrobial activity to cellulose fibers (CFs) by presenting a double "click chemistry" strategy. CFs chemically modified with azide functions are designed as a versatile ligation platform for Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne click reaction. Glycidyl propargyl ether (GPE) with epoxy groups was grafted onto azidated cellulose fibers (CFs-N-3) via azide-alkyne click reaction yielding epoxy cellulose fibers (CFs-Epoxy). Then poly(hexamethylene guanidine) (PHMG) can be chemically grafted onto the CFs to form antibacterial materials (CFs-PHMG) through amino groups initiated epoxy ring-opening click reaction. The results revealed that PHMG was anchored successfully onto CFs via chemical bond formation without significant damage to the morphology of CFs and mechanical performance of cellulose paper. In the antibacterial tests, the functionalized CFs show superior antibacterial activity againstE. coliandS. aureus. Importantly, CFs-PHMG paper sheet presented long-term antibacterial effectiveness, remaining similar to 99% antibacterial activity after two months storage in the air environment. This antibacterial CFs-PHMG has good potential application in bioactive paper packaging and medical paper products. [GRAPHICS] .