Patent ID: 8455265

Claim:
A biocidal surface grafted cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte comprising: a solid substrate comprising an amino coupling moiety bonded to a surface of the substrate, and a cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte comprising a poly(phenylene ethynylene) backbone with cationic side groups on phenyl units thereof and terminal carboxylic acid groups made by combining a cationic group-containing diiodo-benzene monomer, a diethynyl-benzene monomer and 4-iodobenzoic acid in a single solution under conditions sufficient to produce a carboxylic acid group terminated poly(phenylene ethynylene); wherein the amino group is bonded via an amide linkage to a terminal carboxyl group of the cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte; and wherein the surface grafted conjugated polyelectrolyte exhibits light-activated biocidal properties.