Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antifungal activity and humidity sensitivity of quaternized cellulose synthesized in NaOH/urea aqueous solution

  • Published:
Cellulose Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this work we report the fabrication of cellulose-based humidity responsive material with antifungal activity. The quaternized cellulose (QC) derivatives with low degree of substitution (DS) values of 0.08–0.37 were synthesized in NaOH/urea aqueous solution. Water insoluble QC membranes (c-QCM) were prepared by casting from QC aqueous solutions, followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. The c-QCMs were disintegrated in acid solutions, but were able to keep membrane shape in neutral and mild basic solutions with pH value of 7.2 and 9.7. The equilibrium water adsorption ratios of c-QCMs were in the range of 66–98%, depending on the DS values of quaternary ammonium groups and the pH value of the aqueous solutions. The antifungal activity of QC was evaluated and found that QC could effectively inhibit the reproduction of Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium digitatum, with minimum inhibitory concentration of 5, 10, and 7.5 mg/mL, respectively. The resistivity of the c-QCM changed for about 65–134 times corresponding to the change of environmental relative humidity from 20 to 99%; and the performance of c-QCM as a resistive-type humidity responsive material was consistent in the cycling of relative humidity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Scheme 2
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexopoulos CJ, Mims CW, Blackwell M (1996) Introductory mycology, 4th edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Burchard W (2003) Solubility and solution structure of cellulose derivatives. Cellulose 10(3):213–225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabras P, Schirra M, Pirisi FM, Garau VL, Angioni A (1999) Factors affecting imazalil and thiabendazole uptake and persistence in citrus fruits following dip treatments. J Agric Food Chem 47(8):3352–3354

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai J, Zhang L (2005a) Rapid dissolution of cellulose in LiOH/urea and NaOH/urea aqueous solutions. Macromol Biosci 5(6):539–548

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai J, Zhang L (2005b) Unique gelation behavior of cellulose in NaOH/urea aqueous solution. Biomacromolecules 7(1):183–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao Z, Sun Y (2009) Polymeric N-Halamine latex emulsions for use in antimicrobial paints. ACS Appl Mater Inter 1(2):494–504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang H-I, Yang M-S, Liang M (2010) The synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of quaternized poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)s modified with ammonium and phosphonium salts. Reac Funct Polym 70(12):944–950

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Wang L, Yu H, Shi Q, Dong X (2007a) Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activities of novel N-halamine copolymers. J Mater Sci 42(11):4018–4024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z, Luo J, Sun Y (2007b) Biocidal efficacy, biofilm-controlling function, and controlled release effect of chloromelamine-based bioresponsive fibrous materials. Biomaterials 28(9):1597–1609

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clausen CA, Yang V (2007) Protecting wood from mould, decay, and termites with multi-component biocide systems. Int Biodeter Biodegr 59(1):20–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cunha A, Gandini A (2010) Turning polysaccharides into hydrophobic materials: a critical review. Part 1. Cellulose. Cellulose 17(5):875–889

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Franklin TJ, Snow GA (1981) Biochemistry of Antimicrobial Action. Chapman & Hall, London, p 58

    Google Scholar 

  • Gong MS, Joo SW, Choi BK (2002) Humidity sensor using mutually reactive copolymers containing quaternary ammonium salt and reactive function. Sensor Actuat B Chem 86(1):81–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heinze T, Liebert TF, Pfeiffer KS, Hussain MA (2003) Unconventional cellulose esters: synthesis, characterization and structure-property relations. Cellulose 10(3):283–296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hogan M, Chi P, Hoel D, Mitchell T (1979) Association between chloroform levels in finished drinking water supplies and various site-specific cancer mortality rates. J Environ Pathol Toxicol 2(3):873

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ignatova M, Manolova N, Rashkov I (2007) Novel antibacterial fibers of quaternized chitosan and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) prepared by electrospinning. Eur Polym J 43(4):1112–1122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kačuráková M, Ebringerová A, Hirsch J, Hromádková Z (1994) Infrared study of arabinoxylans. J Sci Food Agric 66(3):423–427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C-W, Kim Y, Joo S-W, Gong M-S (2003) Resistive humidity sensor using polyelectrolytes based on new-type mutually cross-linkable copolymers. Sensor Actuat B Chem 88(1):21–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C-W, Choi B-K, Gong M-S (2004) Humidity sensitive properties of alkoxysilane-crosslinked polyelectrolyte using sol–gel process. Analyst 129(7):651–656

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Chen Y, Zhang C, Xue T, Yang M (2007) A humidity sensor based on interpenetrating polymer network prepared from poly (dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate). Sensor Actuat B Chem 125(1):131–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo J, Sun Y (2006) A cyclic N-halamine-based fibrous materials: preparation, characterization, and biocidal functions. J Polym Sci Pol Chem 44(11):3588–3600

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lv X, Li Y, Li P, Yang M (2009) A resistive-type humidity sensor based on crosslinked polyelectrolyte prepared by UV irradiation. Sensor Actuat B Chem 135(2):581–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehyar GF, Al-Qadiri HM, Abu-Blan HA, Swanson BG (2011) Antifungal effectiveness of potassium sorbate incorporated in edible coatings against spoilage molds of apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes during refrigerated storage. J Food Sci 76(3):M210–M217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montesinos-Herrero C, Smilanick JL, Tebbets JS, Walse S, Palou L (2011) Control of citrus postharvest decay by ammonia gas fumigation and its influence on the efficacy of the fungicide imazalil. Postharvest Biol Technol 59(1):85–93

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez R, Alvarez-Lorenzo C, Concheiro A (2001) Rheological evaluation of the interactions between cationic celluloses and carbopol 974P in water. Biomacromolecules 2:886–893

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sajomsang W, Tantayanon S, Tangpasuthadol V, Daly WH (2009) Quaternization of N-aryl chitosan derivatives: synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity. Carbohyd Res 344(18):2502–2511

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schurz J (1999) ‘Trends in polymer science’: a bright future for cellulose. Prog Polym Sci 24(4):481–483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song Y, Sun Y, Zhang X, Zhou J, Zhang L (2008) Homogeneous quaternization of cellulose in NaOH/urea aqueous solutions as gene carriers. Biomacromolecules 9(8):2259–2264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song Y, Zhang J, Gan W, Zhou J, Zhang L (2010) Flocculation properties and antimicrobial activities of quaternized celluloses synthesized in NaOH/urea aqueous solution. Ind Eng Chem Res 49(3):1242–1246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valencia-Chamorro SA, Palou L, del Rio MA, Perez-Gago MB (2008) Inhibition of penicillium digitatum and penicillium italicum by hydroxypropyl methylcellulose–lipid edible composite films containing food additives with antifungal properties. J Agric Food Chem 56(23):11270–11278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z-M, Xiao K-J, Li L, Wu J-Y (2010) Molecular weight-dependent anticoagulation activity of sulfated cellulose derivatives. Cellulose 17(5):953–961

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang K, Brendler E, Fischer S (2010) FT Raman investigation of sodium cellulose sulfate. Cellulose 17(2):427–435

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2010CB732203), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50973019, 50843030), the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (2010J06017).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Fujian Province, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China

    Dong Zhang, Jing Xie, Ping Yu, Xingkang Huang & Haiqing Liu

  2. College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China

    Minghe Yang

Authors
  1. Dong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jing Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ping Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xingkang Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Minghe Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Haiqing Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haiqing Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, D., Xie, J., Yu, P. et al. Antifungal activity and humidity sensitivity of quaternized cellulose synthesized in NaOH/urea aqueous solution. Cellulose 19, 189–198 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-011-9626-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-011-9626-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation