Synergistic Integration\nof α‑Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> into PLA/PBAT for the\nDevelopment of Electrospun Membranes:\nAdvancing Structural Integrity and Antimicrobial Efficacy

The rising resistance of various pathogens and the demand\nfor materials\nthat prevent infections drive the need to develop broad-spectrum antimicrobial\nmembranes capable of combating a range of microorganisms, thereby\nenhancing safety in biomedical and industrial applications. Herein,\nwe introduce a simple and efficient technique to engineer membranes\ncomposed of polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate\n(PBAT) biopolymers and α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> particles\nusing an electrospinning technique. The corresponding structural,\nthermal, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties were characterized.\nX-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the integration of crystalline\nα-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> within the polymer matrix. Scanning\nelectron microscopy (SEM) and Raman confocal microscopy revealed uniformly\ndispersed α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> particles in the electrospun\nfibers, influencing their diameter and surface roughness. Thermal\nanalysis indicated adjustments in the thermal stability and crystallinity\nof the composites with an increasing α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> content. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) highlighted variations\nin storage modulus and glass transition temperatures due to interactions\nbetween α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> and polymer chains, with\ntensile tests showing an increase in elastic modulus and ultimate\ntensile strength as the α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> content\nincreased. Antimicrobial assessments revealed that PLA/PBAT membranes\nwith α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub> showed pronounced antibacterial\nactivity, forming inhibition halos across all samples against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus\naureus</i>, and <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i> (a surrogate\nfor <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>). These membranes\nalso exhibited potent antiviral activity against bacteriophage phi\n6, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting potential applications in\ncombating infections caused by enveloped viruses. The antimicrobial\nactivities are attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen species\n(ROS) and the controlled release of Ag<sup>+</sup> ions. This work\nunderscores the multifaceted capabilities of α-Ag<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>4</sub>-enhanced PLA/PBAT membranes in combating bacterial\nand viral growth, where both durability and microbial resistance are\ncritical. Taken together, our findings provide a solution for obtaining\nadvanced materials to be applied in a wide range of industrial applications,\nsuch as filtration systems, food preservation, antimicrobial coatings,\nprotective textiles, and cleaning products.