Bottlebrush polymers (BBPs) feature with polymeric side chains densely grafted to a linear backbone, in high molecular weights. BBPs possess advantages that could lead to a paradigm-shifting impact in combating bacterial infections as alternative antimicrobial strategies. However, critical knowledge gaps remain in understanding the structure-function-property relationship for BBP-nanomaterials towards antimicrobial and antibiofilm bioactivities. Society is increasingly seeking sustainable alternatives, and there is a growing demand for biodegradable and biocompatible BBPs to align with a broad trend. The main goal of the project is to establish synthetic pathways for a new class of biodegradable BBPs, that will deploy the debranched xylan, in another term, a linear polysaccharide of ß-1,4-linked D-xylose, as the backbone unit, and at the same time will customize the macromolecular architecture of side chain for their utility as high-efficacy antimicrobial nanomaterials.

2025

2029