Versatile Antibacterial and Antioxidant Bacterial Cellulose@Nanoceria Biotextile: Application in Reusable Antimicrobial Face Masks

Despite considerable interest in medical and pharmaceutical fields, there remains a notable absence of functional textiles that concurrently exhibit antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Herein, a new composite fabric constructed using nanostructured bacterial cellulose (BC) covalently-linked with cerium oxide nanoparticles (BC@CeO2 NPs) is introduced. The synthesis of CeO2 NPs on the BC is performed via a microwave-assisted, in situ chemical deposition technique, resulting in the formation of mixed valence Ce3+ /Ce4+ CeO2 NPs. This approach ensures the durability of the composite fabric subjected to multiple washing cycles. The Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity of CeO2 NPs and their rapid and efficient eradication of >99% model microbes, such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus remain unaltered in the composite. To demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating the fabric in marketable products, antimicrobial face masks are fabricated with filter layers made of BC@CeO2 NPs cross-linked with propylene or cotton fibers. These masks exhibit complete inhibition of bacterial growth in the three bacterial strains, improved breathability compared to respirator masks and enhanced filtration efficiency compared to single-use surgical face masks. This study provides valuable insights into the development of functional BC@CeO2 NPs biotextiles in which design can be extended to the fabrication of medical dressings and cosmetic products with combined antibiotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.