Sustained free chlorine-releasing polydimethylsiloxane/Ca(ClO)2 materials with long-lasting disinfection efficacy

Abstract

A novel sustained chlorine-releasing polydimethylsiloxane/Ca(ClO)₂ (PDMS/Ca(ClO)₂) material was fabricated by encapsulating Ca(ClO)₂ in a PDMS matrix due to its high hydrophobicity and high chemical stability, which showed immediate-responsive and long-lasting antibacterial capabilities in aqueous conditions. Free chlorine could be released from the PDMS/Ca(ClO)₂ after immersion in water for 2 min and could also be sustainedly released for 2 weeks, while the released concentration is negatively related to the duration time and positively with the initial Ca(ClO)₂ contents. Additionally, Ca(ClO)₂ powder as a filler significantly affects the crosslinking and pore size of PDMS. The PDMS/Ca(ClO)₂ materials exhibited enduring antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in both planktonic and multispecies-biofilm status. It is expected that this PDMS/Ca(ClO)₂ material and its similar composite would be promising candidates for wide sustainable disinfection applications in biomedical and industrial fields.