Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial evaluation of cotton fiber coated with chitosan-agar/tannin derivative/polypyrrole composites

The wearable technology and the use of fibers-based devices in biomedical applications are favored by the chemical modification of textiles to incorporate antibacterial properties into the intrinsic mechanical characteristics of the fibers favoring critical applications such as active components for sutures. Herein, it is proposed the combined coating of chitosan and a tannin-derivative (Tanfloc) for the following polymerization of polypyrrole in which the previous deposition of protective layers of chitosan and Tanfloc prevents the degradation in the mechanical properties of coated fiber while incorporates the outstanding performance of polypyrrole as antibacterial and antibiofilm agent reaching a complete elimination of Staphylococcus aureus after 60 min of contact and a reduction in the biofilm formation in order of 99.38%.