A Unified Interdisciplinary Approach to Design Antibacterial Coatings for Fast Silver Release

Abstract

The increasing number of surgical treatments performed per year requires novel approaches to inhibit implant‐associated infections, caused by multi‐antibiotic resistant bacteria. Silver ions (Ag+) are known for their effective antimicrobial activity. Therefore, a system that efficiently and locally releases the minimum required amount of Ag+ directly after the surgical treatment is in high demand. Herein we study electrochemically, microbiologically, microscopically and spectroscopically sacrificial Ag anode coatings for antibacterial implant applications. It is found that Ag dot arrays deposited on noble metals (Pd, Ir) release Ag+ much faster than continuous Ag thin films. The Ag+ release qualitatively scales with the difference of standard potentials between Ag and the noble metal. Furthermore, with higher numbers of Ag dots, the total amount of released Ag+ increases, while the release efficiency declines. Notably, an efficient killing of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria was seen for coatings containing as little as 23 ng of Ag per mm2. Thus, the use of sacrificial Ag anodes as highly efficient antibacterial coating materials is evaluated.

Antibacterial Efficacy of Sacrifical Anode Thin Films Combining Silver with Platinum Group Elements within a Bacteria‐Containing Human Plasma Clot

“…A strong antibacterial effect was induced by each of these samples . Significantly, the Ag–Ir sacrifical anode induced by far the strongest antibacterial effect, which was correlated to the most rapid Ag dot dissolution and the highest Ag release . Here, identical sacrificial anode samples were tested for antibacterial efficiency embedded within an infected tissue‐like matrix instead of using a fluid based assay.…”

Facile Electrochemical Preparation of Hydrophobic Antibacterial Fabrics Using Reduced Graphene Oxide/Silver Nanoparticles

“…However, the excessive use of antibiotics in killing and inhibiting bacterial growth has led to bacterial resistance which is a threat to human health. [1] Clothing and textile materials can act as media for microbial growth because of their high surface area and their ability to retain water. [2] Therefore, over the past years, the modification of textile fabrics with antibacterial agents has gained great attention.…”

Characterization of Nanoparticles in Diverse Mixtures Using Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance and Nanoparticle Tracking by Dark-Field Microscopy with Redox Magnetohydrodynamics Microfluidics

“…Applications for nanomaterials range from catalysts for alternative energy technologies and processes (e.g., fuel cells, photochemical energy conversion, and reactions involving hydrocarbons 1−5 ) to antimicrobials in medical devices. 6,7 Their physical properties differ from their bulk phase counterparts, for example, due to the higher surface energy of the NPs. 2,8−10 The characteristics are not only affected by variation in composition but also strongly dependent on the particle size and shape.…”

“…Applications for nanomaterials range from catalysts for alternative energy technologies and processes ( e.g. , fuel cells, photochemical energy conversion, and reactions involving hydrocarbons − ) to antimicrobials in medical devices. , Their physical properties differ from their bulk phase counterparts, for example, due to the higher surface energy of the NPs. ,− The characteristics are not only affected by variation in composition but also strongly dependent on the particle size and shape. ,− There exists a knowledge gap with respect to the properties and chemical reactivities of nanomaterials. − Methods to evaluate NPs in a solution are limited, and because NPs are heterogeneously sized and shaped, statistically relevant populations must be investigated. This is especially challenging for dilute samples where larger volumes need to be evaluated to attain statistical relevance.…”