Cationic 4-Vinylpyridine Copolymer Nanospheres with Dual Active Centers for Antibacterial Coatings

To prevent the transmission of diseases caused by microorganisms, more and more focus was placed on the creation of antibacterial coatings. In this work, we reported a creative synthesis of antibacterial cationic 4-vinylpyridine polymer nanospheres (CvpPMs). The nanospheres of decreasing size were produced by the self-assembly of stiff polymer chains of styrene (St) and cationic 4-vinylpyridine (4vp) polymer. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were employed to describe the CvpPMs’ structural morphology and other characteristics. CvpPMs were N+-surfaced cationic nanospheres that had an average diameter of 250 nm. After evaluation against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the results showed a significant antibacterial rate of 98% after 72 h and, even more impressive, 95% after 120 h. The synergistic interaction of amphiphilic groups (ethylsulfobetaine methacrylate, SBMA) and quaternary ammonium pyridinium groups was responsible for the exceptional performance of CvpPMs. In addition, it mimicked the N+–π interactions of adhesion, which significantly enhanced its adhesion strength, and the coatings also achieved antibacterial rates of averaging over 95%. In conclusion, the type of antibacterial copolymer nanospheres hopes to offer an avenue for developing antibacterial coatings.