Evaluation of a Biobased Furanic Polyoxime Ether Polyol for the Synthesis of Intrinsically Antimicrobial Poly(Oxime-Urethane)

Antimicrobial polyurethanes have great potential for application in pathogen protection and antifouling coatings. In this study, we developed an intrinsically antimicrobial poly(oxime-urethane) (POU). First, a polyoxime ether polyol (PoEP) was prepared by etherifying biobased 2,5-diformylfuran dioxime (DFFD) and ethylene glycol (EG). POUs (POU-30, POU-40, POU-50, and POU-60) with varying oxime content from the PoEP were synthesized using 4,4-diisocyanate dicyclohexylmethane (HMDI) and polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG-650). Tensile strengths (elongation at break) range from 2.20 MPa (1267%) to 6.64 MPa (72%). The corresponding glass transition temperature (Tg) ranges from 10.95 to 52.00 °C, and the lowest decomposition temperature (Td,5%) is 265 °C. When the oxime ester bond (−CH═N–O–CO−) from the PoEP was incorporated at a concentration of 10.21 wt %, the POU exhibited 100% antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. These results suggest that the PoEP has potential as a renewable polyurethane polyol with excellent antimicrobial properties, making it a promising solution for synthesizing long-lasting and intrinsically antimicrobial polyurethanes.