Functional Coatings
Polymer Nanocomposites as Anti-Microbial Functional Coatings
Averting or impeding microbial growth on surfaces is of prime importance in architecture, healthcare, and textile industries. In buildings, the colonization of microbes on the surface causes defacement and physical damage to the building structure. In the healthcare industry, the proliferation of microorganisms on medical devices increases health risks for patients. In the textile industry, the growth of microbes on fabrics leads to several undesirable effects such as degradation, foul odor, and health risks. A promising strategy for overcoming microbial growth in various sectors involves, coating the surfaces with materials that can resist microbial adhesion and colonization. Inorganic nanomaterials or organic materials with inorganic inclusions are widely used as antimicrobial coatings.
More recently, waterborne nanocomposites are being designed to have multi-functional properties such as antibacterial activity, photocatalytic activity, and electronic properties. Ongoing and past projects in the lab include investigating the film formation and antibacterial properties of latex nanocomposites containing metallic nanofillers and halogen complexes as antimicrobial elements. Particular focus is on the distribution of the metallic filler and halogen complexes in the dried films. Since the coating is surface-oriented, special attention is given to investigating the antibiofilm properties of the films. The developed technology is tuned to improve the antibacterial properties of the metallic and halogen-based latex nanocomposites.