ABSTRACT
Bioactive nanomaterials embedded in a polymeric matrix, resulting in a polymer nanocomposite with superior antimicrobial properties, have been one of the present thrust areas of applied materials scientists. The excellent antimicrobial action and antifouling behavior with nontoxicity to mammalian cell lines makes polymer catechols suitable for application as tissue sealants. Antimicrobial polymer nanocomposites in fiber and filament form have been less explored as a bioactive material than their film counterpart. Antimicrobial activity is essentially a diffusion-controlled process, and the release of the antimicrobial species to the surface majorly contributes to the extent of the antimicrobial activity. The physiochemical reactions, cycles, and pathways pertaining to biocidal action of different classes of antimicrobials are an interesting phenomenon and worthy of consideration for a comprehensive understanding of antimicrobial classes of polymer nanocomposites. The antimicrobial behavior is conferred from the positively charged ammonium ion, which behaves like cationic biocides, similar to metals in contact with microbes.
