Development of antibacterial PLA-based melt-blown nonwovens via incorporation of P(3HB-co-4HB) and ZnO nanoparticles: Processing and property evaluation

JinShuo Yu; Hanlin Tian; Yan Zhao; Liang Li; Hongwei Pan; Huili Yang; Junjia Bian; Zhiyong Tan; Huiliang Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151447

Development of antibacterial PLA-based melt-blown nonwovens via incorporation of P(3HB-co-4HB) and ZnO nanoparticles: Processing and property evaluation

Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 Apr:355:151447. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151447. Epub 2026 Mar 16.

Authors

JinShuo Yu¹, Hanlin Tian¹, Yan Zhao², Liang Li³, Hongwei Pan⁴, Huili Yang², Junjia Bian², Zhiyong Tan⁵, Huiliang Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ State key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun, 130022, China; College of Material and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Synthetic Resin and Special Fiber, Ministry of Education, Changchun University of Technology, Changchun, 130012, China.
² State key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun, 130022, China.
³ Jilin Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, Changchun, 130000, China.
⁴ State key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun, 130022, China. Electronic address: hwpan@ciac.ac.cn.
⁵ College of Material and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Synthetic Resin and Special Fiber, Ministry of Education, Changchun University of Technology, Changchun, 130012, China.

PMID: 41850454
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151447

Abstract

Addressing the environmental and health challenges associated with single-use plastics, poly(lactic acid)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)/zinc oxide (PLA/P(3HB-co-4HB)/ZnO) composite nonwovens were fabricated via melt-blown technology for potential application in air filtration. P(3HB-co-4HB), a member of the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) family, exhibits excellent degradability, making it well-suited for biomedical and eco-friendly material applications. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were incorporated as multifunctional additives-serving both as catalysts to enhance PLA (bio)degradable and as potent antibacterial agents. The resulting composites demonstrated significant antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), with bacterial colonies barely detectable at a ZnO loading of just 1 wt%, indicating a strong antimicrobial effect. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and rheological analyses revealed that ZnO also improved the spinnability of PLA by increasing its molecular weight and complex viscosity. Filtration performance tests showed that the PLA/P(3HB-co-4HB)/ZnO nonwovens could capture over 80% of airborne particles as small as 10 μm. These findings highlight the promising potential of PLA/P(3HB-co-4HB)/ZnO melt-blown nonwovens as sustainable materials for medical and environmental filtration systems.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate); Poly (lactic acid).

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemistry
Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
Escherichia coli / drug effects
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Polyesters* / chemistry
Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
Zinc Oxide* / chemistry
Zinc Oxide* / pharmacology

Substances

Zinc Oxide
Polyesters
Anti-Bacterial Agents
poly(lactide)