Ternary Fiber Mats of PVDF-HFP/Cellulose/LiFe₅O₈ Nanoparticles with Enhanced Electric, Magnetoelectric, and Antibacterial Properties: A Promising Approach for Magnetic and Electric Field-Responsive Antibacterial Coatings

In this study, a flexible, lightweight, and multifunctional ternary nanocomposite fiber system, comprising poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and LiFe₅O₈ (LFO) nanoparticles, and exhibiting a magnetoelectric coupling property alongside antibacterial traits, is reported. The engineered composite system with magnetoelectric and antibacterial properties is an optimal candidate for field-mediated antibacterial coating surfaces. The enhancement in the electroactive phase in the polymer nanocomposite systems has been studied using various techniques, and a maximum of polar phase ∼95% is achieved for 8 wt % of the LFO-loaded composite fiber system. The composite fiber system shows remarkable enhancement in the dielectric constant, and the maximum value of the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient (MECC) reached 20.3 mV/cm Oe for 8 wt % of the LFO-loaded sample. Ferroelectric properties have also been investigated to ensure the enhancement of the electroactive phase. The antibacterial efficiency of the prepared fiber mats was studied using the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. This unique combination of magnetoelectric coupling and antibacterial properties provides a transformative solution for self-sustaining antibacterial coating surfaces that are also electric and magnetic field-tuned.