Fabrication of caffeic acid grafted poly(lactide)-b-poly(hydroxyethylmetacrylate) films

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to prepare an antimicrobial, PLA-based partially degradable caffeic acid functionalized film that has the potential to be used in active food packaging. We report a synthetic route for the functionalization of poly(D, L-lactide)-b-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) copolymer grafted with caffeic acid. First, we synthesized a dual initiator, namely 2-Bromo-N-(5-hydroxyphenyl)2-methylpropanamide (BNMP) (yield = %58), bearing ATRP initiator and ring opening polymerization. The initiator was synthesized via an amidation reaction between 5-amino-1-pentanol and 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide in the presence of triethyl amine. Firstly, ring-opening polymerization of D, L-lactide was achieved via the hydroxyl group of BNMP using tin(II) 2-ethyl hexanoate (Sn(Oct)2) as catalyst (Mn = 9800 g/mol). This polymerization was carried out by the melt polymerization method. Secondly, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was polymerized through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using poly(D, L-lactide) macroinitiator yielding the block copolymer, PLA-b-PHEMA. Eventually, the block copolymer was functionalized via a Steglich esterification reaction between caffeic acid and hydroxyl groups of the PHEMA segment to obtain PLA-b-PHEMA-g-CA. The polymers were characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), and infrared (IR) spectroscopies. The grafting degree was calculated by using the regression line of caffeic acid standards at known concentrations and was found 60.7%. The bioactivity of the caffeic acid-functionalized block copolymer was investigated with DPPH for radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial activity against gram-positive (S. aureus.) and gram-negative (E.coli) bacteria. The films were prepared by mixing different amounts of PLA-b-PHEMA-g-CA with a high molecular weight of commercial PLA via solvent casting technique. The mechanical properties of the films obtained from the mixture of copolymer with high molecular weight PLA were also examined. To gain further insight, the thermal and surface properties of the films were evaluated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements and water contact angle measurements(WCA), respectively. According to the results, the synthesized PLA-b-PHEMA-g-CA polymer showed bioactivity.