Preparation of breathable antibacterial thin film for medical applications

Polyether block amide (PEBA) have been widely used for a large number of medical applications due to their excellent mechanical property and good biocompatibility, but they are susceptible to bacterial colonization and have a higher risk of bacterial infection. Herein, PEBA was cast polymerized with 3-Mercaptopropane-1,2-diol (MPD) by cast polymerization method. The antibacterial properties of modified thin films were evaluated against S. aureus (gram positive bacteria) and E. coli (gram negative bacteria). It was found that MPD content played an important role in the antibacterial property of modified thin films with the inhibition rate reaching 99.99% (Pristine PEBA shows 27.5% and 16.8% inhibition against S. aureus and E. coli respectively). The properties of thin films such as Water Vapor Transmittance Rate (WVTR) and mechanical properties were found to be increased remarkably. The films were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). (author)