Multifunctional Composite Materials Based on Anion Exchangers Modified with Copper Compounds—A Review of Their Synthesis Methods, Characteristics and Applications

Abstract

As copper and its compounds are of fundamental importance for the development of innovative materials, the synthesis of composites intended for water purification was undertaken in which submicron copper containing particles were dispersed within the matrix of a strongly basic anion exchanger, with a macroporous and gel-like structure. Due to their trimethylammonium functional groups, the host materials alone exhibited an affinity to anionic water contaminants and antimicrobial properties. The introduction of such particles as CuO, Cu2O, metallic Cu, CuO/FeO(OH), Cu4O3, Cu(OH)2, Cu4(OH)6SO4, Cu2(OH)3Cl increased these properties and demonstrated new properties. The composites were obtained unconventionally, in ambient conditions, using eco-friendly reagents. Alternative synthesis methods were compared and optimized, as a result of which a new group of hybrid ion exchangers was created (HIXs) containing 3.5–12.5 wt% of Cu. As the arrangement of the inorganic phase in the resin matrix was atypical, i.e., close to the surface of the beads, the obtained HIXs exhibited excellent kinetic properties in the process of oxidation and adsorption of As(III), as well as catalytic properties for the synthesis of triazoles via click reaction, and also antimicrobial properties in relation to Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, preventing biofilm formation. Using thermogravimetry, the effect of the inorganic phase on decomposition of the polymeric phase was evaluated for the first time and comprehensively, confirming the relationship and finding numerous regularities. It was also found that, depending on the oxidation state (CuO, Cu2O, Cu), copper-containing particles affected the textural properties of the polymeric phase endowing a tighter structure, limiting the porosity and reducing the affinity for water.

Navigating Antibacterial Frontiers: A Panoramic Exploration of Antibacterial Landscapes, Resistance Mechanisms, and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

“…Composites use multiple materials in concert. One example of an antibacterial composite is the combination of copper compounds with an anion-exchange resin to kill bacteria in water for purification . The addition of tetrachlorocuprate­(II) salts to an anion exchange resin and reduction with ascorbic acid yielded a composite resin containing Cu 2 O; exposure of Gram-positive E. faecalis to the material reduced bacterial load by 10 5 , while the resin did not affect Gram-negative E. coli .…”

“…One example of an antibacterial composite is the combination of copper compounds with an anion-exchange resin to kill bacteria in water for purification. 384 The addition of tetrachlorocuprate(II) salts to an anion exchange resin and reduction with ascorbic acid yielded a composite resin containing Cu 2 O; exposure of Gram-positive E. faecalis to the material reduced bacterial load by 10 5 , while the resin did not affect Gram-negative E. coli . Antimicrobial composite materials are useful for medical devices, such as dental implants, where infections may be difficult to treat or may cause secondary structural damage.…”

Navigating Antibacterial Frontiers: Landscape Analysis of Antibiotics, Resistance Mechanisms and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

“…One example of an antibacterial composite is the combination of copper compounds with an anion-exchange resin to kill bacteria in water for purification. 372 The addition of tetrachlorocuprate(II) salts to an anion exchange resin and reduction with ascorbic acid yielded a composite resin containing Cu2O; exposure of Grampositive Enterococcus faecalis to the material reduced bacterial load by 10 5 while the resin did not affect Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial composite materials are useful for medical devices such as dental implants where infections may be difficult to treat or may cause secondary structural damage.…”