Antibacterial activity of natural rubber based coatings containing a new guanidinium-monomer as active agent
Résumé
This paper presents the synthesis and biological activity of a new antimicrobial material based on natural rubber derived building blocks and an organic antibacterial monomer, covalently bound to the polymer network. This investigation focused on the synthesis of an original acrylate monomer bearing an organic biologically active moiety (a guanidinium group) and in its co-polymerization in presence of telechelic acrylate oligomers, prepared from polyisoprene. The cross-linked films obtained have been characterized by InfraRed Spectroscopy, contact angle, and thermal analyses. It was shown that no-leaching of the bioactive monomer occurred and that the material resisted to long water immersions. Polyisoprene coatings prepared from pure acrylate oligoisoprenes also showed a weak antimicrobial activity that was drastically increased by integrating the guanidinium monomer. Biological tests carried out with three strains of pathogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) proved the strong activity of the coatings.