A chemical toolkit for the fabrication of antibacterial wet adhesives using one pot synthesis

Effective wound healing requires both antibacterial activity and successful sealing. The preferred method for wound closure continues to be sutures, which essentially close larger wounds by creating multiple smaller ones. Sutures are commonly coated with the antibacterial agent triclosan, in addition to routine administration of antibiotics, both of which contribute to promoting antimicrobial resistance. To circumvent this issue, we propose non-antibiotic based antibacterial adhesives. Herein, we combined nature-inspired chemical functionalities into an adhesive and antibacterial polymer network prepared through either random one-pot copolymerization or polymer functionalization using mild and cost-effective reactions. In this context, we introduce a comprehensive toolkit featuring aromatic, cationic, and salt components for formulating antibacterial adhesives. Three different adhesives with different monomeric blocks were synthesized either by APS/TEMED or EDC/NHS reactions. Lap-shear tests under wet conditions revealed a range of adhesion strengths up to 10 N/cm 2 , higher than commercial fibrin glues. Antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria ( S. aureus and E. coli ) usual at infection sites, assessed via zone of inhibition assays and yielding good inhibition. Our findings highlight the synergistic contributions of aromatic and cationic groups to adhesion, alongside the antibacterial potency conferred by quaternary amines and ionic liquids, without compromising each other's functionality. Furthermore, we observed that the formulation of adhesives influences cell viability. Overall, this work addresses the need for replacing bacterial resistance promoting materials with multifunctional adhesives. By integrating tunable monomers inspired by natural compounds, our approach introduces a versatile platform for future antimicrobial adhesive synthesis, potentially offering alternatives in the field. • Nature-inspired adhesives with chemical functionalities to avoid promoting antimicrobial resistance are introduced. • Mild, cost-effective synthesis, either through random one-pot copolymerization or polymer functionalization. • Adhesion strength superior to fibrin glues and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. • The combination of aromatic, cationic, and salt components contributed to both adhesion and antibacterial properties. • Versatile platform for multifunctional adhesives, offering alternatives to materials that promote bacterial resistance.