Synthesis and characterizations of antifungal polyurethanes with enhanced tensile and shape recovery performances

Abstract

Benzimidazole as an antifungal agent and poly(acrylic acid) as a hydrophilic group were grafted together onto polyurethane (PU) to synthesis the antifungal PU. Benzimidazole was chosen as a key antifungal agent because of its proven fungal growth control against a wide spectrum of fungi. The hydrophilicity of antifungal PU was notably escalated after the grafting of poly(acrylic acid) based on the water contact angle results, but the melting and glass transition of soft segment in PU did not notably change by the grafting of benzimidazole and poly(acrylic acid). The synthesized antifungal PUs exhibited a sharp increase in the breaking tensile stress and shape recovery due to the slight chemical cross‐linking between PUs. The benzimidazole‐grafted PUs containing the poly(acrylic acid) demonstrated a clear suppression in the growth of a group of fungi. Therefore, the antifungal PUs with enhanced tensile strength and shape recovery capability were successfully synthesized using the combined grafting of benzimidazole and poly(acrylic acid) onto PU.

Antifungal polymers for medical applications

“…The surface modification of this polymer was achieved by a grafting reaction with benzimidazole, 2 hydroxyethyl acrylate and acryllic acid, to increase the hydrophilicity and to facilitate the contact between the fungi and the benzimidazole moiety, see Figure 9. The resulting material showed shape‐memory properties with fungi growth inhibition, when tested in a mixture of Aspergillus niger (ATCC 9642), Aureobasidium pullulans (ATCC 15233), Chaetomium globosum (ATCC 6205), Gliocladium virens (ATCC 9645) and Penicillium pinophilum (ATCC 11797) (Chung, Park, et al, 2018).…”

“…Antifungal imidazolium-containing chitosan(Wei et al, 2019) F I G U R E 8 Imidazole-containing polyurethanes synthesized by F I G U R E 9 Benzimidazole-AAc grafts onto polyurethane surface(Chung, Park, et al, 2018)F I G U R E1 0 Incorporation of fungicides into polymers for biomedical applications. (a) Blends and composites, (b) Micelles and nanoparticles and (c) Grafts onto polymer surface and (d) Polymers with fungicide as pendant group of polymeric micelles and nanoparticles for fungicide retention and release.…”

FP Interferometric Optic Fiber Humidity Sensor Based on Acrylate AB Adhesive Film

“…Acrylate AB adhesive has the advantages of low cost, simple operation, and good stability and is widely used in daily life as an adhesive [21]. Its molecules have hydrophilic groups [22]. The refractive index of the adhesive film changes after adsorbing water molecules, giving it a more sensitive humidity response.…”