Fabrication of Durably Antibacterial Cotton Fabrics by Robust and Uniform Immobilization of Silver Nanoparticles via Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine/Polyethyleneimine Coating

Bacterial contamination of cotton dressing can potentially cause wound infection. To solve this problem, stable and uniform decoration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto cotton fabrics is a promising strategy to endow antibacterial activity to prevent wound infection. Herein, a facile codeposition of polydopamine (PDA)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) was performed on cotton fabrics for uniformly cross-linking gallic acid (GA)-stabilized silver nanoparticles (GA@AgNPs) via Michael addition and hydrogen bonding interactions. The as-prepared GA@AgNPs/PDA–PEI-coated cotton fabrics possessed a negatively charged surface because of the high-density GA on AgNPs, showing low cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, and hemostatic ability. Because of its stable, uniform, and anionic interface composed of GA@AgNPs, this GA@AgNPs/PDA–PEI coating could effectively resist bacterial adhesion by electrostatic repulsion and also kill the attached bacteria through sustained Ag+ release, exhibiting strong, broad-spectrum, and durable antibacterial activities toward bacteria. Therefore, these GA@AgNPs/PDA–PEI-coated cotton fabrics show great potential for clinical application as antibacterial wound dressings.