Enhanced bacterial inhibition activity of layer-by-layer structured polysaccharide film-coated cellulose nanofibrous mats via addition of layered silicate

Organic rectorite (OREC) was used to prepare the intercalated composites with chitosan (CS). The negatively charged cellulose nanofibers hydrolyzed from electrospun cellulose acetate fibrous mats were modified with multilayers of the positively charged CS-OREC intercalated composite and the negatively charged sodium alginate (ALG) via layer-by-layer (LBL) technique. The morphology and antibacterial activity of the resultant samples were studied by regulating the number of deposition bilayers, the compositions of dipping solutions and outermost layer of films. Field emission scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the thickness of CS-OREC/ALG bilayer formed on fibers was estimated from 12 to 26 nm. Additionally, the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated that CS and OREC were successfully deposited on cellulose fibers. The bacterial inhibition experiments demonstrated that LBL films modified fibrous cellulose mats with the addition of OREC can increase the degree of inhibition on Escherichia coli. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.