Synthesis of naringin‐based polymer brushes via seATRP

The flavonoid‐based macromolecule initiator was prepared for the first time by the transesterification reaction of naringin with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide. In accordance with the “grafting from” methodology, a naringin‐based copolymer brush with a polar naringenine‐7‐rhamnosidoglucoside core and an amphiphilic poly(methyl methacrylate)‐block‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PMMA‐b‐PNIPAM) side chains was synthesized for the first time via a simplified electrochemically mediated ATRP (seATRP), utilizing only 40 ppm of catalytic complex. The rate of the polymerizations was controlled by applying optimal potential or current values during preparative electrolysis to prevent the possibility of intermolecular coupling of the growing polymer brushes. Naturally derived polymer brushes showed narrow molecular weight distributions (Đ = 1.06−1.08). ¹H NMR spectral results confirm the formation of citrus‐based polymer brushes. These new naringin‐based polymer materials may find biomedical applications as thermo‐sensitive drug delivery systems, membranes, and biologically active thin films in tissue engineering.     

Chemical and thermo‐responsive characterisation of surfaces formed by plasma polymerisation of N‐isopropyl acrylamide

Plasma polymerisation of N ‐isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm) presents an exciting route for the production of thermally responsive coatings on a wide variety of substrates for applications in tissue culture and microfluidics. One issue associated with the polymerisation of NIPAAm via plasma polymerisation is the limited volatility of the monomer and the subsequent requirement for monomer and reactor heating to create and maintain the vapour. It is already well established that power is critical in the balance between polymer functionality and coating stability in plasma polymers. However, little is known of how reactor and substrate temperatures may be used to influence the physico‐chemical characteristics of polymers produced from such low‐volatility monomers. In this paper, we examine the effects of a range of plasma deposition parameters on the functionality and stability of plasma‐polymerised NIPAAm surfaces. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS), ellipsometry and contact angle goniometry have been used to examine coating chemistry, stability in aqueous environments, deposition rates and thermo‐responsive behaviour. Our results indicate that plasma polymerisation at low powers and low temperatures enhances the ability of plasma‐polymerised NIPAAm to display a wettability phase transition, but also contributes to instability of the coating to dissolution or delamination in water. Our spectroscopic measurements confirm that retention of the monomer structure is facilitated by low power and temperature deposition and reveal that conversion of the amide groups to amine and nitrile groups occurs during the polymerisation process, particularly at high discharge powers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cyclic peptide–polymer conjugates: Grafting‐to vs grafting‐from

A systematic comparison between the grafting‐to (convergent) and grafting‐from (divergent) synthetic routes leading to cyclic peptide–polymer conjugates is described. The reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process was used to control the polymerizations and the couplings between cyclic peptide and polymer or RAFT agent were performed using N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) active ester ligation. The kinetics of polymerization and polymer conjugation to cyclic peptides were studied for both grafting‐to and grafting‐from synthetic routes, using N‐acryloyl morpholine as a model monomer. The cyclic peptide chain transfer agent was able to mediate polymerization as efficiently as a traditional RAFT agent, reaching high conversion in the same time scale while maintaining excellent control over the molecular weight distribution. The conjugation of polymers to cyclic peptides proceeded to high conversion, and the nature of the carbon at the α‐position to the NHS group was found to play a crucial role in the reaction kinetics. The study was extended to a wider range of monomers, including hydrophilic and temperature responsive acrylamides, hydrophilic and hydrophobic acrylates, and hydrophobic and pH responsive methacrylates. Both approaches lead to similar peptide–polymer conjugates in most cases, while some exceptions highlight the advantages of one or the other method, thereby demonstrating their complementarity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1003–1011     

Dynamic Combinatorial Enrichment of Polyconformational D‐/L‐Peptide Dimers

D ‐/L ‐Peptides such as gramicidin A (gA) adopt unique dimeric β‐helical structures of different topologies. To overcome their conformational promiscuity and enrich individual components, a dynamic combinatorial approach assisted by thiol tags was developed. This method led to identification of the preferential formation of antiparallel dimers under a broad range of conditions, which was independent of peptide side‐chain polarity. Exclusive formation of an antiparallel cyclic dimer was achieved in the presence of cesium ions.     

Synthesis of Polymers Containing Potassium Acyltrifluoroborates (KATs) and Post‐polymerization Ligation and Conjugation

We report the synthesis of monomers for atom‐transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and a reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent bearing trifluoroborate iminiums (TIMs), which are quantitatively converted into potassium acyltrifluoroborates (KATs) after polymerization. The resulting KAT‐containing polymers are suitable for rapid amide‐forming ligations for both post‐polymerization modification and polymer conjugation. The polymer conjugation occurs rapidly, even under dilute (micromolar) aqueous conditions at ambient temperatures, thereby enabling the synthesis of a variety of linear and star‐shaped block copolymers. In addition, we applied post‐polymerization modification to the covalent linking of a photocaged cyclic antibiotic (gramicidin S) to the side chains of the KAT‐containing copolymer. Cellular assays revealed that the polymer–antibiotic conjugate is biocompatible and provides efficient light‐controlled release of the antibiotic on demand.     

Peptide‐poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate) conjugate into composite micelles in organic solvents versus peptide‐poly(methacrylic acid) conjugate into spherical and worm‐like micelles in water: Synthesis and self‐assembly

Peptide–polymer conjugates are versatile class of biomaterials composed of a peptide block covalently linked with a synthetic polymer block. This report demonstrates the synthesis of peptide‐poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate) (Peptide‐P^tBMA) conjugates of varying molecular weights via a “grafting from” atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique using as‐synthesized peptide‐based initiator in toluene. Peptide‐P^tBMA conjugate is soluble in many organic solvents and undergoes self‐assembly into micro/nanospheres in DMF/THF as observed from both FESEM and DLS results. The conjugate micro/nanospheres are nothing but the composite micelles formed by the secondary aggregation of primary micelles generated initially in these organic solvents. The hydrolysis of tert‐butyl groups of Peptide‐P^tBMA conjugate leads to the formation of peptide‐poly(methacrylic acid) (Peptide‐PMA) conjugate. The circular dichroism (CD) analysis exhibits the presence of β‐sheet conformation of peptide moiety in synthesized conjugates. The formed Peptide‐PMA conjugate is soluble in water and owing to its amphiphilic character, the conjugate molecules self‐assemble into spherical micelles as well as worm‐like micelles upon increasing the concentration of conjugate in water. However, the sodium salt of Peptide‐PMA conjugates (Peptide‐PMAS) self‐assembles into only spherical swollen micelles in water at higher (pH ～10). The critical aggregation concentrations (CACs) of both Peptide‐PMA and Peptide‐PMAS micelles are measured by fluorescence spectroscopy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3019–3031     

Preparation of hydrophobic tannins‐inspired polymer materials via low‐ppm ATRP methods

The novel hydrophobic coating material was received for the first time by a two‐step synthetic route. Firstly, the 15‐functional brominated macroinitiator was prepared by the esterification methodology. Next step covers synthesis of star‐like polymers by poly(n‐butyl acrylate) (PBA) arms polymerization via three low‐ppm atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) approaches including application of copper and silver wire in SARA and ARGET ATRP, respectively, as driving forces in redox cycle of catalyst, and an external stimulus in the form of electric current (seATRP) as the third approach in copper(II) regeneration system. As expected, the electrochemically mediated technique allows synthesis of tannic acid‐inspired coating polymers in precisely controlled manner during the entire polymerization process, proved by linear first‐order kinetics plot in contrast to above‐mentioned methods, low dispersity (Ð = 1.18) of star‐shaped polymers, and high efficiency of initiation (? _i = 81%) determined after detaching of polymers side arms. Macromolecules received by all low‐ppm ATRP solutions were characterized by preserved chain‐end functionality (theoretical dead chain fraction; DCF_theo <1%). Adhesive and hydrophobic properties of received polymer materials were investigated by contact angles (θ) and free surface energy (FSE) calculations. Prepared polymer films besides excellent hydrophobic properties have great potential as a self‐healing solution.     

Multifunctional ATRP initiators: Synthesis of four‐arm star homopolymers of methyl methacrylate and graft copolymers of polystyrene and poly(t‐butyl methacrylate)

Tetrakis bromomethyl benzene was used as a tetrafunctional initiator in the synthesis of four‐armed star polymers of methyl methacrylate via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with a CuBr/2,2 bipyridine catalytic system and benzene as a solvent. Relatively low polydispersities were achieved, and the experimental molecular weights were in agreement with the theoretical ones. A combination of 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl piperidine‐N‐oxyl‐mediated free‐radical polymerization and ATRP was used to synthesize various graft copolymers with polystyrene backbones and poly(t‐butyl methacrylate) grafts. In this case, the backbone was produced with a 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl piperidine‐N‐oxyl‐mediated stable free‐radical polymerization process from the copolymerization of styrene and p‐(chloromethyl) styrene. This polychloromethylated polymer was used as an ATRP multifunctional initiator for t‐butyl methacrylate polymerization, giving the desired graft copolymers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 650–655, 2001     

Peptide‐poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) conjugates: Synthesis and aqueous/nonaqueous self‐aggregation into nanostructures of dendritic and spherical morphologies

Peptide–polymer conjugate consisting of a sequence‐defined tripeptide and poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) is synthesized by a simple “grafting from” atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) approach. The ATRP of PDMAEMA using peptide‐macroinitiator and CuBr/1,1,4,7,10,10‐hexamethyltriethylenetetramine system in anisole follows pseudo first order kinetics up to a conversion of about 25% within a time span of 125 min. The attachment of peptide moiety at the end of PDMAEMA chain is confirmed from MALDI‐TOF‐MS and circular dichroism analyses. The self‐assembly of as‐synthesized peptide‐PDMAEMA conjugate in organic solvents leads to the formation of spherical nanoparticles as observed through FESEM. Peptide‐PDMAEMA conjugate become soluble in water due to the protonation of the pendent —N(CH₃)₂ moiety of DMAEMA group of the conjugate. Owing to the amphiphilic nature of the protonated conjugate (peptide‐PDMAEMAH), it also undergoes self‐aggregation in water into nanostructures of various morphologies such as dendrite, small sphere and large sphere at pHs of 2, 8, and 10, respectively. Peptide‐PDMAEMA‐IBu conjugate obtained by the post‐modification of —N(CH₃)₂ moiety of DMAEMA group of the conjugate with n‐butylbromide also undergoes self‐aggregation into dendritic nanostructures in water. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3286–3297     

Pd‐Catalysed Direct Arylation Polymerisation for Synthesis of Low‐Bandgap Conjugated Polymers and Photovoltaic Performance

Low‐bandgap conjugated copolymers based on a donor–acceptor structure have been synthesised via palladium‐complex catalysed direct arylation polymerisation. Initially, we report the optimisation of the synthesis of poly(cyclopentadithiophene‐alt‐benzothiadiazole) (PCPDTBT) formed between cyclopentadithiophene and dibromobenzothiadiazole units. The polymerisation condition has been optimised, which affords high‐molecular‐weight polymers of up to M _n = 70 k using N‐methylpyrrolidone as a solvent. The polymers are used to fabricate organic photovoltaic devices and the best performing PCPDTBT device exhibits a moderate improvement over devices fabricated using the related polymer via Suzuki coupling. Similar polymerisation conditions have also been applied for other monomer units.     

Synthesis of mikto‐topology star polymer containing one cyclic arm

Well‐defined mikto‐topology star polystyrene composed of one cyclic arm and four linear arms was synthesized by a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and Cu‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction. First, the bromine‐alkyne α,ω‐linear polystyrenes containing four hydroxyl groups protected with acetone‐based ketal groups were synthesized by ATRP of styrene using a designed initiator. Then, the bromine end‐group was converted to the azide and the linear polystyrene was cyclized intra‐molecularly by the CuAAC reaction. The four hydroxyl groups were released by deprotection and then esterified with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide to produce a cyclic polymer bearing four ATRP initiating units. By subsequent ATRP of styrene to grow linear polymers with the cyclic polystyrene as a macroinitiator, the mikto‐topology star polymers were prepared. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Inhibiting and Reversing Amyloid‐β Peptide (1–40) Fibril Formation with Gramicidin S and Engineered Analogues

In Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid‐β (Aβ) peptides aggregate into extracellular fibrillar deposits. Although these deposits may not be the prime cause of the neurodegeneration that characterizes this disease, inhibition or dissolution of amyloid fibril formation by Aβ peptides is likely to affect its development. ThT fluorescence measurements and AFM images showed that the natural antibiotic gramicidin S significantly inhibited Aβ amyloid formation in vitro and could dissolve amyloids that had formed in the absence of the antibiotic. In silico docking suggested that gramicidin S, a cyclic decapeptide that adopts a β‐sheet conformation, binds to the Aβ peptide hairpin‐stacked fibril through β‐sheet interactions. This may explain why gramicidin S reduces fibril formation. Analogues of gramicidin S were also tested. An analogue with a potency that was four‐times higher than that of the natural product was identified.     

Synthesis of Five‐Arm Star Polymers with an Inositol Core by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerisation at Ambient Temperature

Summary: A novel hydroxyl‐functionalised initiator for atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) was synthesised by esterification reaction of a non‐reducing sugar, meso‐inositol. Due to steric hindrance, one of the six hydroxyl groups present in the sugar was not derivatised to the corresponding 2‐bromoisobutyrate. The macroinitiator was used in ambient temperature ATRP of a hydrophobic monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and a hydrophilic monomer, oligoethylene glycol methacrylate (OEGMA) using tri(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (TEGMME) as the polymerisation solvent and CuCl/CuCl₂/PMDETA as the catalytic system. Under these conditions, polymerisation proceeded on to high conversion while maintaining low polydispersity giving well‐defined five‐arm star polymers. Hydrolysis under basic conditions was carried out to deduce the number of linear chains that were attached to the sugar.

Five‐arm star polymer.     

Potentiometric Ag+ Sensors Based on Conducting Polymers: A Comparison between Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) and Polypyrrole Doped with Sulfonated Calixarenes

Potentiometric Ag⁺ sensors were prepared by galvanostatic electropolymerization of 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and pyrrole (Py) on glassy carbon electrodes by using sulfonated calixarenes as doping ions. Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polypyrrole (PPy) doped with p‐sulfonic calix[4]arene (C4S), p‐sulfonic calix[6]arene (C6S) and p‐sulfonic calix[8]arene (C8S) were compared. PEDOT and PPy doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) were also included for comparison. The analytical performance of the conducting polymer‐based Ag⁺ sensors was studied by potentiometric measurements. All conducting polymer and dopant combinations showed sensitivity and selectivity to Ag⁺ compared to several alkali, alkaline‐earth, and transition‐metal cations. The type of the conducting polymer used for the fabrication of the electrodes was found to have a more significant effect on the selectivity of the electrodes to Ag⁺ than the ring size of the sulfonated calixarenes used as dopants. Selected conducting polymer‐based sensors were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays (EDAX) measurements. Results from the EDAX measurements show that both PEDOT‐ and PPy‐based membranes accumulate silver.     

Quantification of ATRP initiator density on polymer latex particles by fluorescence labeling technique using copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition

We developed a novel fluorescence labeling technique for quantification of surface densities of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiators on polymer particles. The cationic P(St‐CPEM‐C₄DMAEMA) and anionic P(St‐CPEM) polymer latex particles carrying ATRP‐initiating chlorine groups were prepared by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization of styrene (St), 2‐(2‐chloropropionyloxy)ethyl methacrylate (CPEM), and N‐n‐butyl‐N,N‐dimethyl‐N‐(2‐methacryloyloxy)ethylammonium bromide (C₄DMAEMA). ATRP initiators on the surface of polymer particles were converted into azide groups by sodium azide, followed by fluorescent labeling with 5‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)‐N′‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)naphthalene‐1‐sulfonamide (Dansyl‐alkyne) by copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The reaction time required for both azidation of ATRP‐initiating groups and successive fluorescence labeling of azide groups with Dansyl‐alkyne by CuAAC were investigated in detail by FTIR and fluorescence spectral measurement, respectively. The ATRP initiator densities on the cationic P(St‐CPEM‐C₄DMAEMA) and anionic P(St‐CPEM) particle surfaces were estimated to be 0.21 and 0.15 molecules nm^?2, respectively, which gave close agreement with values previously determined by a conductometric titration method. The fluorescence labeling through click chemistry proposed herein is a versatile technique to quantify the surface ATRP initiator density both on anionic and cationic polymer particles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4042–4051     

Synthesis of a model cyclic triblock terpolymer of styrene,isoprene, and methyl methacrylate

The synthesis of a model cyclic triblock terpolymer [cyclic(S‐b‐I‐b‐MMA] of styrene (S), isoprene (I), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was achieved by the end‐to‐end intramolecular amidation reaction of the corresponding linear α,ω‐amino acid precursor [S‐b‐I‐b‐MMA] under high‐dilution conditions. The linear precursor was synthesized by the sequential anionic polymerization of S, I, and MMA with 2,2,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1‐(3‐lithiopropyl)‐1‐aza‐2,5‐disilacyclopentane as an initiator and amine generator and 4‐bromo‐1,1,1‐trimethoxybutane as a terminator and carboxylic acid generator. The separation of the unreacted linear polymer from the cyclic terpolymer was facilitated by the transformation of the unreacted species into high molecular weight polymers by the evaporation of the reaction solvent and the continuation of the reaction under high‐concentration conditions. The intermediate materials and the final cyclic terpolymer, characterized by size exclusion chromatography, vapor pressure osmometry, thin‐layer chromatography, IR and NMR spectroscopy, exhibited high molecular weight and compositional homogeneity. Dilute‐solution viscosity measurements were used as an additional proof of the cyclic structure. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1476–1483, 2002     

Synthesis of well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymer bearing poly(2‐acryloyloxyethyl ferrocenecarboxylate) side chains via successive SET‐LRP and ATRP

A series of well‐defined ferrocene‐based amphiphilic graft copolymers, consisting of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐poly(ethyl acrylate) (PNIPAM‐b‐PEA) backbone and poly(2‐acryloyloxyethyl ferrocenecarboxylate) (PAEFC) side chains, were synthesized by the combination of single‐electron‐transfer living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). A new ferrocene‐based monomer, 2‐(acryloyloxy)ethyl ferrocenecarboxylate (AEFC), was prepared first and it can be polymerized via ATRP in a controlled way using methyl 2‐bromopropionate as initiator and CuBr/PMDETA as catalytic system in DMF at 40 °C. PNIPAM‐b‐PEA backbone was synthesized by sequential SET‐LRP of NIPAM and HEA at 25 °C using CuCl/Me₆TREN as catalytic system followed by the transformation into the macroinitiator by treating the pendant hydroxyls with α‐bromoisobutyryl bromide. The targeted well‐defined graft copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n < 1.20) were synthesized via ATRP of AEFC initiated by the macroinitiator. The electro‐chemical behaviors of PAEFC homopolymer and PNIPAM‐b‐(PEA‐g‐PAEFC) graft copolymer were studied by cyclic voltammetry. Micellar properties of PNIPAM‐b‐(PEA‐g‐PAEFC) were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4346–4357, 2009     

Novel superhydrophobic silica/poly(siloxane‐fluoroacrylate) hybrid nanoparticles prepared via surface‐initiated ATRP and their surface properties: The effects of polymerization conditions

A series of superhydrophobic poly(methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, MPTS‐b‐2,‐2,3,3,4,4,4‐heptafluorobutyl methacrylate, HFBMA)‐grafted silica hybrid nanoparticles (SiO₂/PMPTS‐b‐PHFBMA) were prepared by two‐step surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP). Under the adopted polymerization conditions in our previous work, the superhydrophobic property was found to depend on the SI‐ATRP conditions of HFBMA. As a series of work, in this present study, the effects of polymerization conditions, such as the initiator concentration, the molar ratio of monomer and initiator, and the polymerization temperature on the SI‐ATRP kinetics and the interrelation between the kinetics and the surface properties of the nanoparticles were investigated. The results showed that the SI‐ATRP of HFBMA was well controlled. The results also showed that both the surface microphase separation and roughness of the hybrid nanoparticles could be strengthened with the increase of the molecular weight of polymer‐grafted silica hybrid nanoparticles. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Fabrication of Chemically Tethered Binary Polymer‐Brush Pattern through Two‐Step Surface‐Initiated Atomic‐Transfer Radical Polymerization

Summary: The communication provides a novel and alternative route to generate chemically tethered binary polymer‐brush pattern through two‐step surface‐initiated atomic‐transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP). Polymer brush‐1 was prepared by SI‐ATRP, passivated by a reaction with NaN₃, and etched with UV irradiation through a transmission electron microscopy grid to create exposed sites for the subsequently attached initiator on which polymer brush‐2 was grown.

Schematic representation of the resultant binary polymer brush patterns.     

Synthesis of amphiphilic poly(N‐vinylcaprolactam) using ATRP protocol and antibacterial study of its silver nanocomposite

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of N‐vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) was studied by uisng ethyl‐2‐bromoisobutyrate (EIB) as initiator in 1,4‐dioxane. It led to controlled radical polymerization of NVCL, with the molecular weight increased along with the conversion of monomer and a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution could be obtained, as determined by gel permeation chromatography. ¹H NMR showed that the major population of poly(N‐vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL) retained the chain‐end functional group. The living nature of the ATRP for NVCL was confirmed by the experiments of PVCL chain extension. PVCL was further investigated for its ability to form micelles in aqueous media. Self‐assembling of the amphiphilic PVCL leads to the formation of their micellar aggregates in aqueous media which was confirmed by transmission electron microscope. The critical micelle concentration value was calculated from the photophysical changes of Pyrene‐1‐Carboxaldehyde by UV absorption studies and was found to be 0.0320 mg/mL. The polymer nanocomposite was synthesized and examined in view of antibacterial effect against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumonae. It was found that polymer nanocomposite possess strong antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis with minimum inhibitory concentration value of 32 μg/mL. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012