N-halamine-decorated polystyrene nanoparticles based on 5-allylbarbituric acid: From controllable fabrication to bactericidal evaluation

• 5-Allylbarbituric acid was utilized as precursor to prepare N-halamine nanoparticles.
• Nanoparticles showed enhanced biocidal activity compared with their bulk counterparts.
• Biocidal properties can be tailored by changing the particle size.

N-halamine-based antibacterial polystyrene nanoparticles with different particle size ranged from 91.5 nm to 562.5 nm were facilely fabricated by surfactant-free emulsion polymerization with 5-allylbarbituric acid served as N-halamine precursor. Effect of experimental parameters such as monomer concentration, initiator concentration, and ionic strength on particle size was investigated systematically. N-halamine-based antibacterial polystyrene nanoparticles showed enhanced antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive species Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative species Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with bulk powder N-halamine. Biocidal activity of N-halamine-based antibacterial polystyrene nanoparticles can be tailored effectively by tuning particle size. Stability and bactericidal activity of N-halamine-based antibacterial polystyrene nanoparticles was detected as a function of extending period.

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