Polypropylene fabric coated with branched polyethyleneimine derivatives for high antiviral activity

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic context, the demand for new materials with antiviral and antibacterial properties has been increasing in recent years following an awareness to help prevent future outbreaks. However, current material approaches based on metal ions, metal particles, chlorine-based disinfectants, and polymer nanocomposites cause environmental and health risks. Herein, we report a one-step low-cost process of a highly effective antiviral surface coating of polyethylenimine (PEI) and alkylated PEI derivatives (N-hexyl-PEI and N-hexyl,N-methyl-PEI) on a filtration felt made of polypropylene fibers. Results based on a comparison of the antiviral efficiency of PEI and alkylated PEI derivatives by exposure to feline calicivirus (FCV) are presented. Chemical composition and features of the surface morphology of coatings were characterized by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The antiviral activity of PEI and PEI alkylated derivatives coated on PP felt at three different concentrations was evaluated. The results showed a stronger effective inactivation of FCV for the PEI-coated felt with a reduced viral titer from ≥99.9% for the non-coated felt to ≥99.9999% for the PEI-coated felt, after 4 hours, which represents a 6 log₁₀ (CFU mL⁻¹) reduction of viruses. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of N-hexyl,N-methyl-PEI which contains more quaternary ammonium functions did not inhibit the viability of Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cell culture.