Annett Pfeifer

Water soluble photoactive cellulose derivatives: synthesis and characterization of mixed 2-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy]acetic acid–(3-carboxypropyl)trimethylammonium chloride esters of cellulose

Photoactive derivatives of cellulose were prepared by a mild esterification of the biopolymer with 2-[(4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy]acetic acid via the activation of the carboxylic acid with N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole. Subsequently, modification with the cationic carboxylic acid (3-carboxypropyl)trimethylammonium chloride was carried out. Thus, water soluble polyelectrolytes decorated with high amounts of photochemically active chromene moieties were obtained. The structures of the novel polysaccharide esters and the polyelectrolytes were evaluated by means of NMR and IR spectroscopy. Moreover, the light triggered photodimerization of the chromene moieties of the photoactive polyelectrolytes was studied by means of UV–Vis spectroscopy in the dissolved state. The photochemistry observed may be used to control the properties of the new polysaccharide derivatives and are thus of interest in the design of smart materials.

Bacteria-responsive multilayer coatings comprising polycationic nanospheres for bacteria biofilm prevention on urinary catheters

UNLABELLED This work reports on the development of infection-preventive coatings on silicone urinary catheters that contain in their structure and release on demand antibacterial polycationic nanospheres. Polycationic aminocellulose conjugate was first sonochemically processed into nanospheres to improve its antibacterial potential compared to the bulk conjugate in solution (ACSol). Afterward the processed aminocellulose nanospheres (ACNSs) were combined with the hyaluronic acid (HA) polyanion to build a layer-by-layer construct on silicone surfaces. Although the coating deposition was more effective when HA was coupled with ACSol than with ACNSs, the ACNSs-based coatings were thicker and displayed smoother surfaces due to the embedment of intact nanospheres. The antibacterial effect of ACNSs multilayers was 40% higher compared to ACSol coatings. This fact was further translated into more effective prevention of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation. The coatings were stable in the absence of bacteria, whereas their disassembling occurred gradually during incubation with P. aeruginosa, and thus eradicate the biofilm upon release of antibacterial agents. Only 5 bilayers of HA/ACNSs were sufficient to prevent the biofilm formation, in contrast to the 10 bilayers of ACSol required to achieve the same effect. The antibiofilm efficiency of (HA/ACNSs)10 multilayer construct built on a Foley catheter was additionally validated under dynamic conditions using a model of the catheterized bladder in which the biofilm was grown during seven days. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Antibacterial layer-by-layer coatings were fabricated on silicone that efficiently prevents Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation during time beyond the useful lifetime of the currently employed urinary catheters in medical practice. The coatings are composed of intact, highly antibacterial polycationic nanospheres processed from aminated cellulose and bacteria-degrading glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid. The importance of incorporating nanoscale structures within bacteria-responsive surface coatings to impart durable antibacterial and self-defensive properties to the medical indwelling devices is highlighted.

Enzymatic Functionalization of Cork Surface with Antimicrobial Hybrid Biopolymer/Silver Nanoparticles

Laccase-assisted assembling of hybrid biopolymer-silver nanoparticles and cork matrices into an antimicrobial material with potential for water remediation is herein described. Amino-functional biopolymers were first used as doping agents to stabilize concentrated colloidal dispersions of silver nanoparticles (AgNP), additionally providing the particles with functionalities for covalent immobilization onto cork to impart a durable antibacterial effect. The solvent-free AgNP synthesis by chemical reduction was carried out in the presence of chitosan (CS) or 6-deoxy-6-(ω-aminoethyl) aminocellulose (AC), leading to simultaneous AgNP biofunctionalization. This approach resulted in concentrated hybrid NP dispersion stable to aggregation and with hydrodynamic radius of particles of about 250 nm. Moreover, laccase enabled coupling between the phenolic groups in cork and amino moieties in the biopolymer-doped AgNP for permanent modification of the material. The antibacterial efficiency of the functionalized cork matrices, aimed as adsorbents for wastewater treatment, was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus during 5 days in conditions mimicking those in constructed wetlands. Both intrinsically antimicrobial CS and AC contributed to the bactericidal effect of the enzymatically grafted on cork AgNP. In contrast, unmodified AgNP were easily washed off from the material, confirming that the biopolymers potentiated a durable antibacterial functionalization of the cork matrices.

Sulfoethylated nanofibrillated cellulose: Production and properties

Sulfoethylated nanofibrillated cellulose (NFCSulf) was produced by an industrially relevant process. The properties of the NFCSulf were compared with those of carboxymethylated nanofibrillated cellulose (NFCCarb), which has been identified as an attractive NFC for several industrial applications. The investigations revealed that NFCSulf is characterized by a higher degree of fibrillation and has superior redispersion properties. Furthermore, NFCSulf displays higher stability in varying pH values as compared to NFCCarb. Hence, NFCSulf may be a more attractive alternative than NFCCarb in applications such as rheological modifiers or adsorbing components in personal care products, in which the performance of NFC must remain unaffected in varying ambient conditions. The superior properties of NFCSulf compared to NFCCarb were proposed to be due to the combination of the unique chemical characteristics of the sulfoethylated reagent, and the larger size of the sulfonate group compared to the carboxymethyl group.

Corrigendum to “Sulfoethylated nanofibrillated cellulose: Production and properties” [Carbohydr. Polym. 169 (2017) 515–523]

The author Ali Naderi regrets the wrong information given with regard to his affiliation. The author would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Cellulose carboxylate/tosylate mixed esters: Synthesis, properties and shaping into microspheres

Cellulose carboxylate/tosylate mixed esters (Cel-Carboxy/Ts) were synthesized with constant degree of tosylation, DSTs=0.98 and variable degree of acylation, DSCarboxy; acetate, butanoate, and hexanoate. The tosylate (Cel-Ts) was prepared by reacting cellulose with tosyl chloride in presence of trimethylamine. The mixed esters were obtained by reacting Cel-Ts with carboxylic acid anhydride. The dependence of the following on DSCarboxy was investigated: IR data, including νCO, νSO and peak area (CO); empirical polarity of the films, determined by an adsorbed perichromic dye. We employed these parameters to determine DSCarboxy. Relative to ester saponification, these spectroscopic methods are convenient, expedient, and require much less sample. Mixed esters prepared physically from cellulose tosylate and tosylate/acetate behave only qualitatively similar to (Cel-Carboxy/Ts). The mixed esters were dissolved in acetone and regenerated in water as homogeneous microspheres.