Fibrous web comprising a cationic polymer for capturing microorganisms

1. A fibrous web for use in removing microorganisms, the web comprising a cationic polymer having an affinity for the negatively charged cell walls of bacteria, the cationic polymer comprising a cationic monomer and a hydrophobic monomer, wherein the molar ratio of the cationic monomer to the hydrophobic monomer is greater than about 1:1.

2. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the cationic monomer to the hydrophobic monomer is from greater than about 1:1 to about 15:1.

3. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic monomer comprises a protonated amine.

4. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic monomer comprises an imidazolyl group, a pyridyl group, or a pyrazolyl group.

5. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic monomer comprises an ammonium group.

6. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic monomer comprises a C 5 -C 20 alkyl group, a C 5 -C 20 alkylene group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group.

7. The fibrous web of claim 6 , wherein the aryl group or heteroaryl group comprises a 6-membered aromatic carbon ring.

8. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic monomer or hydrophobic monomer is an acrylamide monomer or a methacrylamide monomer.

9. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic monomer or hydrophobic monomer is an acrylate ester monomer or a methacrylate ester monomer.

10. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein a natural amino acid is used in the synthesis of the cationic polymer.

11. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein an amino acid is used in the synthesis of the cationic monomer, the amino acid comprising arginine, lysine, histidine, or a combination thereof.

12. The fibrous web of claim 11 , wherein the amino acid is lysine.

13. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein an amino acid is used in the synthesis of the hydrophobic monomer, the amino acid comprising alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, or a combination thereof.

14. The fibrous web of claim 13 , wherein the amino acid is phenylalanine.

15. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic monomer comprises a cationic functional group connected to a backbone of the cationic polymer by a first spacer, wherein the first spacer has a length of from about 3 Å to about 30 Å.

16. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic monomer comprises a hydrophobic functional group connected to a backbone of the cationic polymer by a second spacer, wherein the second spacer has a length of from about 2 Å to about 30 Å.

17. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic polymer has the following structure:

wherein:

R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen, a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 4 alkenyl group;

R3 and R4 are each independently hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 4 alkenyl group;

R5 comprises a cationic functional group;

R6 comprises a hydrophobic functional group;

p is greater than 1;

q is greater than 1;

m and n are independently from 0 to 5; and

v and w are independently from 0 to 5.

18. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic polymer comprises an organic substituent having the following structure:

wherein:

X is an amide (—C(O)NH— or —NHC(O)—) or a carboxylic ester (—C(O)O— or —OC(O)—);

R7 is a direct bond between the C and R8, a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 5 alkenyl group;

R8 is an amino group having the structure —N(R13)(R14), an ammonium group having the structure —N(R15)(R16)(R17), a N containing heteroaryl group, or a N containing heterocyclyl group;

R9 is hydrogen, a C 1 -C 10 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 10 alkenyl group;

R13 and R14 are each independently hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 5 alkenyl group, or —C(NR18)N(R19)(R20);

R15, R16, and R17 are each independently hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 5 alkenyl group, or —C(NR18)N(R19)(R20), wherein at least one of R15, R16, or R17 is hydrogen; and

R18, R19, and R20 are each independently hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 5 alkenyl group.

19. The fibrous web of claim 18 , wherein R8 is an amino group having the structure —N(R13)(R14).

20. The fibrous web of claim 19 , wherein R13 and R14 are hydrogen.

21. The fibrous web of claim 18 , wherein R8 is an ammonium group having the structure —N(R15)(R16)(R17), wherein R15, R16, and R17 are hydrogen.

22. The fibrous web of claim 18 , wherein R9 is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group.

23. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the cationic polymer comprises an organic substituent having the following structure:

wherein:

Y is an amide (—C(O)NH— or —NHC(O)—) or a carboxylic ester (—C(O)O— or —OC(O)—);

R10 is hydrogen, a C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 10 alkenyl group;

R11 is a direct bond between the C and R12, a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, or a C 1 -C 5 alkenyl group; and

R12 is a C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, a C 2 -C 20 alkylene group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group.

24. The fibrous web of claim 23 , wherein R12 is an aryl group.

25. The fibrous web of claim 23 , wherein the aryl group is a phenyl group.

26. The fibrous web of claim 23 , wherein R12 comprises a 6-membered aromatic carbon ring.

27. The fibrous web of claim 23 , wherein R10 is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group.

28. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the web further comprises absorbent fibers.

29. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the web further comprises synthetic thermoplastic fibers.

30. The fibrous web of claim 1 , wherein the web is a composite of absorbent fibers and synthetic thermoplastic fibers.