Antimicrobial paint material

Hygienic germicidal sprays can be harmful to the environment and even beneficial bacteria. Toxic solvents can be guaranteed to eradicate bacteria but now there is a new way to achieve this without harming the environment.

In a new study published in the month on Nature Materials, George John and his team at New York City University, teamed up with research team of Pulickel Ajayan at Rice University, Houston, USA, Develop an antibacterial paint based on nano-silver molecules in vegetable oils that can be used as a coating for many types of surfaces including wood, plastic and glass.

Silver and silver compounds are highly antimicrobial thanks to antiseptic properties for many types of bacteria, including common E. coli bacteria in kitchens . Silver nanoparticles interact with the outer membrane of bacteria, causing structural changes that lead to decline and eventually death to bacteria.

In contrast to the conventional methods of producing metal nanoparticles that must use toxic solvents, this type of paint is produced in a simple, cost-effective and environmentally safe way for nanoparticles. is synchronized with the paint itself. The new method takes advantage of the natural, oxidative properties of paint during dry process.

In most household paints, ingredients based on alkyd resins, plant-derived drying oils release free radicals during the drying process. When a silver compound is added to the paint, free radicals act as natural reducing agents, transforming metal salts into metal nanoparticles. These molecules have a relatively low concentration and are tightly connected to the polymer network. This process is simple, inexpensive and most importantly harmless to the environment.

Schematic synthesis and stabilization of silver molecules in drying oil.
(Nature Materials, 2008)

To test the antimicrobial properties of paint, the team incubated E. coli bacteria overnight in a plain glass slide, a glass-coated plate and a nano-glass coating. They found silver molecular paint destroyed all the number of bacteria compared to other glass plates. This result confirms that the nano molecule is capable of killing bacteria.

The new fabrication method is good news for the environment and a bactericidal paint has many applications, especially in medicine, cleaning, and the food processing industry. George explained: 'Alkyd paint can be used indoors and exteriors. Excellent antimicrobial activity means that this type of paint can be used to paint sharp corners in a hospital, or similar places that can infect bacteria. '