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S.Reich, S. Agarwal, A. Greiner

 Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2019, 1900007.

Polymer composite nonwovens with living Micrococcus luteus (ML), a very common gram‐positive bacterium present on human skin, are prepared by electrospinning followed by coating via the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of poly(p‐xylylene) (PPX). The encapsulated living ML convert Au(III) ions to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) when the composite nonwovens are dipped in an aqueous chloroauric acid solution. As a result of this process, AuNPs are formed on the ML. The ML‐immobilized AuNPs can be used for catalytic reactions with acetone as the solvent at a very low gold concentration. Despite the presence of acetone, ML survive the catalytic reaction. Interestingly, the catalytic reactions are possible only when the ML in the nonwovens are alive. In contrast, nonwovens with dead ML do not show any significant catalytic activity.