Composite Antimicrobial Coating With CNTs
17 June 2008, 16:10
Categories: coatings nanotubes-wires-fullerenes
While many conventional antibacterial coatings release their antimicrobials over time, and thereby lose their antimicrobial efficiency, researchers at Auburn University have now developed a unique multifunctional biomimetic material comprised of carbon nanotubes, DNA, and lysozyme that has robust mechanical properties and exhibits excellent long-term antimicrobial activity.
“We have developed a technique to produce coatings that combine the antimicrobial properties of lysozyme with the mechanical strength of single-walled carbon nanotubes,” says Dr. Virginia A. Davis. “Unlike many other antimicrobial materials, lysozyme is a natural product that can be found in egg whites and human tears. In fact, it is even used in some commercial products such as mouthwash. However, lysozyme itself is not mechanically robust. Single-walled carbon nanotubes, on the other hand, are the strongest known material, and they also have a low density. By producing a film where the nanotubes are encased in the lysozyme, we have achieved the benefits of both materials.”
Posted by: The Editors
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