Open Access

ARTICLE

The Eugenol Slow-Release System Based on Waterborne Polyurethane with Spore Adhesion-Resistant and Its Resistance to Botrytis cinerea

Donghai Zhou, Li Huang, Yuye Bai, Xiaoling Zuo, Li Xiang, Zhonglin Cao^*
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, China
* Corresponding Author: Zhonglin Cao. Email:

Journal of Polymer Materials https://doi.org/10.32604/jpm.2026.083304

Received 01 April 2026; Accepted 13 July 2026; Published online 06 August 2026

Abstract

Gray mold disease induced by Botrytis cinerea is a devastating fungal infectionthat severely impairs the production of fruits and vegetables, especially strawberries. Conventional chemical fungicides not only cause severe environmental contamination but also readily induce fungicide resistance in Botrytis cinerea. Applying plant-derived natural antimicrobial agents, such as eugenol, as alternatives to chemical fungicides is a pivotal strategy for the development of green agriculture. However, ordinary eugenol emulsion biopesticides suffer from severe drawbacks, including easy leaching, rapid volatilization, and oxidation, which severely limits their effective control against Botrytis cinerea. In this study, an anionic waterborne polyurethane (PEOC-WPU) emulsion was synthesized using biodegradable poly[(ethylene carbonate)-co-(ethylene oxide)] (PEOC) as the soft segment, and eugenol was incorporated to construct an antimicrobial slow-release system. After film formation, the polyurethane matrix served as a robust slow-release carrier for eugenol, thereby yielding a waterborne polyurethane antimicrobial slow-release film with long-lasting and efficient resistance to Botrytis cinerea. The chemical structure of PEOC-WPU was systematically characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The PEOC-WPU film exhibited excellent anti-protein adsorption properties and resistance to Botrytis cinerea spore adhesion, which synergistically enhanced its efficacy against the pathogen. The slow release of eugenol from the antimicrobial film was verified. The inhibitory effects of slow-release film on the germination and mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea spores were further investigated, and the results demonstrated that the antifungal activity was positively correlated with eugenol loading amount, with the film containing 10% eugenol displaying superior resistance to Botrytis cinerea. By combining the effects of spore-adhesion inhibitionand sustained-release antibacterial activity of eugenol, the eugenol/waterborne polyurethane emulsion can effectively control gray mold disease on strawberry. Furthermore, the PEOC-WPU antimicrobial slow-release film is biodegradable, posing no persistent environmental risks. This study not only provides an environmentally benign novel strategy for controlling Botrytis cinerea but also opens up a feasible pathway for the efficient and stable application of natural antimicrobial agents in agriculture.

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Keywords

Eugenol; waterborne polyurethane; spore adhesion-resistant; Botrytis cinerea; slow release

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