Simultaneous photoinduced electron transfer and photoinduced CuAAC processes for antibacterial thermosets

A combination of simultaneous photoinduced electron transfer and photoinduced CuAAC processes enables the in-situ preparation of antibacterial thermosets containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in one-pot. Upon photolysis of photoinitator, the generated radicals not only reduce Cu(II) into Cu(I) activator to catalyst the CuAAC click reaction, but also simultaneously generate AgNPs from AgNO3 through electron transfer reaction. Due to their reduction potentials difference, the polymer matrix is formed before the formation of AgNPs, assisting to eliminate the agglomeration of them. The thermoset structures are confirmed by FT-IR and solubility tests, whereas the presence of AgNPs is proven by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray system analyzer. The samples containing 5 and 10% AgNPs exhibited strong inhibition zones, where all kinds of bacteria (gram-positive (Staphylococcus Aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia Coli)) were killed in the surrounding of the film samples.