Preparation and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of urushiol powders (YPUOH)

Lacquer sap derived from lacquer trees has been widely used in Asian countries for thousands of years as a natural paint and coating material. These natural lacquers exhibit superior barrier properties against oxygen and water, as well as good durability, chemical resistance, mechanical properties, and antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, they are limited in commercial application due to their high volatility, low drying rate, and allergic reactions. To overcome these limitations, powder-type urushiols (YPUOH), which are essential to provide convenient handling, were successfully prepared using urushiol and different contents of 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TPM). The prepared YPUOH powders were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and antibacterial and antioxidant measurements. The as-prepared YPUOH powders exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, good antioxidant activity, and high thermal stability.