Water-borne polyurethane-ureas added with plant extracts with bacteriostatic characteristics

Abstract

The environmental awareness has promoted the development of new materials towards eco-friendly systems based on both, green synthesis processes and raw-materials of renewable origin. In this way, focusing the synthesis methods, the use of waterborne polyurethane-urea dispersions has gained attention due to their versatility leading to a wide variety of applications [1], broadening the range of applications. In addition, it is worth noting that the dispersibility in water offers the possibility of incorporating water compatible additives, such as plant extracts obtained by aqueous-based extraction procedures. Therefore, in this work bioactive plant extracts from Melissa officinalis L. [2] were incorporated into waterborne polyurethane-urea dispersions (WBPUU), varying their content and using three different incorporation routes. These dispersions were characterized and employed in the preparation of films which were analyzed from the viewpoint of physicochemical, thermal, thermomechanical and mechanical properties as well as their morphology, among others. Finally, the antibacterial properties of the films were analyzed after 1 and 4 days of incubation, where it was observed that the content and incorporation route of the extracts has influenced the behavior of the films against common pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa).Financial support from the Basque Government in the frame of Grupos Consolidados (IT-776-13), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MAT2016-76294-R) and technical support provided by SGIker (UPV/EHU), UID/AGR/00690/2013 (CIMO) and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 (LA LSRE-LCM) are gratefully acknowledged.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio