An SFT collaborative team that comprises Profs. Ma Kaikai, Kan Chi-wai, Fei Bin, and John Xin has published a research paper titled "Tetrathienylethene-based Porous Framework Composites for Boosting Photocatalytic Antibacterial Activity" in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), which is a prestigious top-tier journal in the field of fundamental science (JCR Q1). The research work, which makes significant contributions to sustainable antibacterial textiles, was published on 8 April 2025 (https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2423052122). The work is built on a successful collaboration with Prof. Chen Zhijie at Zhejiang University and Prof. Fraser Stoddart at the University of Hong Kong. Benefiting from interdisciplinary joint research cooperation, the study leverages on the strong academic foundation of SFT, advanced research infrastructure in fashion and textile technology, and the expertise of our collaborators in chemistry.
In this study, the team has designed a stable metal-organic framework (MOF) material which is incorporated into cellulose fibres to develop a sustainable antibacterial textile material. The MOF is rationally designed and, under visible light (sunlight) exposure, can spontaneously produce reactive species capable of killing pathogens. After the MOF material is integrated into the cellulose fibres, flexible and durable functional antibacterial fibre composites are subsequently produced. With its strong antimicrobial efficacy and excellent biocompatibility, this material has great potential for healthcare applications and air purification.
In recent years, this collaborative team has made significant contributions in the field of smart and sustainable textile materials for pathogen protection (e.g. COVID-19) and toxic chemical defence, and published a series of high-impact papers in top-tier journals, including:
Advanced Materials, 2024, 36, 2300951
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2022, 144, 12192-12201
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021, 143, 16777-16785
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2019, 141, 15626−15633
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2019, 141, 20016-20021
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2022, 19, e202202207
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2021,8, e202115956
With the immense support of PolyU and SFT for interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations between researchers or research teams in Hong Kong and Mainland China that complement the strengths of both parties, our esteemed researchers are able to actively contribute to fundamental science and applied technology, thus strengthening our research community with their impactful innovations.
