Highly Flexible Electrospun Hybrid (Polyurethane/Dextran/ Pyocyanin) Membrane for Antibacterial Activity via Generation of Oxidative Stress

A hybrid nanofibrous mat consisting of polyurethane, dextran, and 10 wt % of biopigment (i.e., pyocyanin) was facilely fabricated using a direct-conventional electrospinning method. The field emission scanning electron microscopy showed the bead-free fibers with a twisted morphology for the pyocyanin-loaded mat. The addition of pyocyanin enables the unprecedented approach to tailor the hydrophilicity of hybrid mat, as verified from the water contact measurement. Thermomechanical stabilities of electrospun mats were investigated in terms of thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The bacterial inhibition test revealed that the antibacterial activity of electrospun mat containing pyocyanin was 98.54 and 90.2% toward Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. By the combined efforts of rapid release of pyocyanin and oxidative stress, the PU-dextran-pyocyanin (PUDP) electrospun mat significantly declined the viable cell number that disrupts the cell morphology. Hence, the proposed PUDP electrospun mat must meet the requirements of efficient antimicrobial material in various applications such as disinfectant wiping, food packaging, and textile industries.