Tailoring polymer-TiO2 film properties by presence of metal (Ag, Cu, Zn) species: Optimization of antimicrobial properties

Presence of metallic Ag or oxidic Cu and Zn species on an anatase surface is shown to allow drastic improvement of the disinfection capability of polymer-based TiO2-containing nanocomposite films against both gram negative (Escherichia coli) and gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria and upon both ultraviolet and visible light excitations. The inorganic incorporation to the polymer matrix is reached without alteration of the main physico-chemical (structural and thermal) characteristics of the organic component. Irrespective of the excitation wavelength, the disinfection capability improvement is observed for Ag and Zn promoted film materials but not for the Cu-containing composite. A study of the optical properties attempts to interpret the biocidal enhancement observed in presence of such Ag, Cu, and Zn-containing species at inorganic-organic interfaces. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.