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Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2016) | Viewed by 74154

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: high-performance coatings; natural and synthetic-based adhesives; lignocellulosic composites; 2D-based biomaterials
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Solid surfaces, possessing the ability to remove or eliminate dirt or microbial contaminations without the need for direct human intervention, have been studied intensively in the last few decades. The areas of application are numerous: architectural coatings and materials, textiles, photovoltaic cells, membranes, hospital surfaces, medical devices, etc. Diverse approaches have already been tested and translated into commercial products. Nonetheless, this area of research is still thriving with new materials, additives, treatments, technologies, and theoretical insights.

The forthcoming Special Issue aims to report on scientific and technological advances pertaining to self-cleaning or antimicrobial surfaces. It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript.

Fernão D, Magalhães
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.



Keywords

  • self-cleaning
  • dirt-repellence
  • super-hydrophobicity
  • super-hydrophilicity
  • antimicrobial
  • antibacterial
  • biomimetics

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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7512 KiB  
Article
Deposition of Antimicrobial Copper-Rich Coatings on Polymers by Atmospheric Pressure Jet Plasmas
by Jana Kredl, Juergen F. Kolb, Uta Schnabel, Martin Polak, Klaus-Dieter Weltmann and Katja Fricke
Materials 2016, 9(4), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9040274 - 7 Apr 2016
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 7370
Abstract
Inanimate surfaces serve as a permanent reservoir for infectious microorganisms, which is a growing problem in areas in everyday life. Coating of surfaces with inorganic antimicrobials, such as copper, can contribute to reduce the adherence and growth of microorganisms. The use of a [...] Read more.
Inanimate surfaces serve as a permanent reservoir for infectious microorganisms, which is a growing problem in areas in everyday life. Coating of surfaces with inorganic antimicrobials, such as copper, can contribute to reduce the adherence and growth of microorganisms. The use of a DC operated air plasma jet for the deposition of copper thin films on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) substrates is reported. ABS is a widespread material used in consumer applications, including hospitals. The influence of gas flow rate and input current on thin film characteristics and its bactericidal effect have been studied. Results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy confirmed the presence of thin copper layers on plasma-exposed ABS and the formation of copper particles with a size in the range from 20 to 100 nm, respectively. The bactericidal properties of the copper-coated surfaces were tested against Staphylococcus aureus. A reduction in growth by 93% compared with the attachment of bacteria on untreated samples was observed for coverage of the surface with 7 at. % copper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
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3876 KiB  
Communication
High Pressure Laminates with Antimicrobial Properties
by Sandra Magina, Mauro D. Santos, João Ferra, Paulo Cruz, Inês Portugal and Dmitry Evtuguin
Materials 2016, 9(2), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9020100 - 6 Feb 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 8886
Abstract
High-pressure laminates (HPLs) are durable, resistant to environmental effects and good cost-benefit decorative surface composite materials with special properties tailored to meet market demand. In the present work, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) was incorporated for the first time into melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) matrix on [...] Read more.
High-pressure laminates (HPLs) are durable, resistant to environmental effects and good cost-benefit decorative surface composite materials with special properties tailored to meet market demand. In the present work, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) was incorporated for the first time into melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) matrix on the outer layer of HPLs to provide them antimicrobial properties. Chemical binding of PHMB to resin matrix was detected on the surface of produced HPLs by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Antimicrobial evaluation tests were carried out on the ensuing HPLs doped with PHMB against gram-positive Listeria innocua and gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria. The results revealed that laminates prepared with 1.0 wt % PHMB in MF resin were bacteriostatic (i.e., inhibited the growth of microorganisms), whereas those prepared with 2.4 wt % PHMB in MF resin exhibited bactericidal activity (i.e., inactivated the inoculated microorganisms). The results herein reported disclose a promising strategy for the production of HPLs with antimicrobial activity without affecting basic intrinsic quality parameters of composite material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
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918 KiB  
Communication
Drastic Dependence of the pH Sensitivity of Fe2O3-Bi2O3-B2O3 Hydrophobic Glasses with Composition
by Tadanori Hashimoto, Fumiya Murayama, Masashi Nakao, Hiroyuki Nasu, Atsushi Ishihara and Yuji Nishio
Materials 2015, 8(12), 8624-8629; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma8125480 - 10 Dec 2015
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4986
Abstract
Fe2O3-Bi2O3-B2O3 (FeBiB) glasses were developed as novel pH responsive hydrophobic glasses. The influence of the glass composition on the pH sensitivity of FeBiB glasses was investigated. The pH sensitivity drastically decreased with [...] Read more.
Fe2O3-Bi2O3-B2O3 (FeBiB) glasses were developed as novel pH responsive hydrophobic glasses. The influence of the glass composition on the pH sensitivity of FeBiB glasses was investigated. The pH sensitivity drastically decreased with decreasing B2O3 content. A moderate amount of Fe2O3 and a small amount of B2O3 respectively produces bulk electronic conduction and a pH response on glass surfaces. Because the remaining components of the glass can be selected freely, this discovery could prove very useful in developing novel pH glass electrodes that are self-cleaning and resist fouling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
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1733 KiB  
Article
TiO2 Nanosols Applied Directly on Textiles Using Different Purification Treatments
by Simona Ortelli, Anna Luisa Costa and Michele Dondi
Materials 2015, 8(11), 7988-7996; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma8115437 - 24 Nov 2015
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 6027
Abstract
Self-cleaning applications using TiO2 coatings on various supporting media have been attracting increasing interest in recent years. This work discusses the issue of self-cleaning textile production on an industrial scale. A method for producing self-cleaning textiles starting from a commercial colloidal nanosuspension [...] Read more.
Self-cleaning applications using TiO2 coatings on various supporting media have been attracting increasing interest in recent years. This work discusses the issue of self-cleaning textile production on an industrial scale. A method for producing self-cleaning textiles starting from a commercial colloidal nanosuspension (nanosol) of TiO2 is described. Three different treatments were developed for purifying and neutralizing the commercial TiO2 nanosol: washing by ultrafiltration; purifying with an anion exchange resin; and neutralizing in an aqueous solution of ammonium bicarbonate. The different purified TiO2 nanosols were characterized in terms of particle size distribution (using dynamic light scattering), electrical conductivity, and ζ potential (using electrophoretic light scattering). The TiO2-coated textiles’ functional properties were judged on their photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB), used as a stain model. The photocatalytic performance of the differently treated TiO2-coated textiles was compared, revealing the advantages of purification with an anion exchange resin. The study demonstrated the feasibility of applying commercial TiO2 nanosol directly on textile surfaces, overcoming problems of existing methods that limit the industrial scalability of the process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
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Review

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3243 KiB  
Review
Recent Developments in Antimicrobial Polymers: A Review
by Madson R. E. Santos, Ana C. Fonseca, Patrícia V. Mendonça, Rita Branco, Arménio C. Serra, Paula V. Morais and Jorge F. J. Coelho
Materials 2016, 9(7), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9070599 - 20 Jul 2016
Cited by 169 | Viewed by 13380
Abstract
Antimicrobial polymers represent a very promising class of therapeutics with unique characteristics for fighting microbial infections. As the classic antibiotics exhibit an increasingly low capacity to effectively act on microorganisms, new solutions must be developed. The importance of this class of materials emerged [...] Read more.
Antimicrobial polymers represent a very promising class of therapeutics with unique characteristics for fighting microbial infections. As the classic antibiotics exhibit an increasingly low capacity to effectively act on microorganisms, new solutions must be developed. The importance of this class of materials emerged from the uncontrolled use of antibiotics, which led to the advent of multidrug-resistant microbes, being nowadays one of the most serious public health problems. This review presents a critical discussion of the latest developments involving the use of different classes of antimicrobial polymers. The synthesis pathways used to afford macromolecules with antimicrobial properties, as well as the relationship between the structure and performance of these materials are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
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2254 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Approaches for Textiles: From Research to Market
by Diana Santos Morais, Rui Miranda Guedes and Maria Ascensão Lopes
Materials 2016, 9(6), 498; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9060498 - 21 Jun 2016
Cited by 294 | Viewed by 22161
Abstract
The large surface area and ability to retain moisture of textile structures enable microorganisms’ growth, which causes a range of undesirable effects, not only on the textile itself, but also on the user. Due to the public health awareness of the pathogenic effects [...] Read more.
The large surface area and ability to retain moisture of textile structures enable microorganisms’ growth, which causes a range of undesirable effects, not only on the textile itself, but also on the user. Due to the public health awareness of the pathogenic effects on personal hygiene and associated health risks, over the last few years, intensive research has been promoted in order to minimize microbes’ growth on textiles. Therefore, to impart an antimicrobial ability to textiles, different approaches have been studied, being mainly divided into the inclusion of antimicrobial agents in the textile polymeric fibers or their grafting onto the polymer surface. Regarding the antimicrobial agents, different types have been used, such as quaternary ammonium compounds, triclosan, metal salts, polybiguanides or even natural polymers. Any antimicrobial treatment performed on a textile, besides being efficient against microorganisms, must be non-toxic to the consumer and to the environment. This review mainly intends to provide an overview of antimicrobial agents and treatments that can be performed to produce antimicrobial textiles, using chemical or physical approaches, which are under development or already commercially available in the form of isolated agents or textile fibers or fabrics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
2973 KiB  
Review
Silver Nanocoating Technology in the Prevention of Prosthetic Joint Infection
by Jiri Gallo, Ales Panacek, Robert Prucek, Eva Kriegova, Sarka Hradilova, Martin Hobza and Martin Holinka
Materials 2016, 9(5), 337; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050337 - 5 May 2016
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 10151
Abstract
Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a feared complication of total joint arthroplasty associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There is a growing body of evidence that bacterial colonization and biofilm formation are critical pathogenic events in PJI. Thus, the choice of biomaterials for [...] Read more.
Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a feared complication of total joint arthroplasty associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There is a growing body of evidence that bacterial colonization and biofilm formation are critical pathogenic events in PJI. Thus, the choice of biomaterials for implanted prostheses and their surface modifications may significantly influence the development of PJI. Currently, silver nanoparticle (AgNP) technology is receiving much interest in the field of orthopaedics for its antimicrobial properties and a strong anti-biofilm potential. The great advantage of AgNP surface modification is a minimal release of active substances into the surrounding tissue and a long period of effectiveness. As a result, a controlled release of AgNPs could ensure antibacterial protection throughout the life of the implant. Moreover, the antibacterial effect of AgNPs may be strengthened in combination with conventional antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. Here, our main attention is devoted to general guidelines for the design of antibacterial biomaterials protected by AgNPs, its benefits, side effects and future perspectives in PJI prevention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)
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