TY - JOUR

T1 - Using sub-micron silver-nanoparticle based films to counter biofilm formation by Gram-negative bacteria

AU - Gillet, Alice

AU - Baxter, Sean

AU - Hodgson, Simon

AU - Smith, G. C.

AU - Prabhakar, John Thomas

PY - 2018/6/1

Y1 - 2018/6/1

N2 - Composite films comprised of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) grown using a low-cost straightforward chemical bath based method have been deposited on glass microscope slides to investigate their potential as a sacrificial antibacterial coating. The as-deposited films have been characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry. These suggested that the films were relatively uniform in coverage. Chemical composition of the AgNP films has been studied by using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS analysis indicated that the Ag was in a metallic form able to sustain plasmon behaviour, and that low levels of residual nanoparticle precursors were present. Particle size was characterised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which showed an average particle size of 10.6 nm. The effectiveness of the films as an antibacterial coating was tested against Escherichia coli. The AgNP film was determined to be effective in the killing of E.coli cells over a 24 hour period when compared to equivalent samples that contained no silver. Of particular note was that only minimal bacterial growth was detected over the first 12 hours of testing, up to 78.6 times less than the control samples, suggesting the film is very efficient at slowing initial biofilm formation. The use of AgNP based films that have been synthesised using a novel low-cost, low-temperature and highly upscalable method is demonstrated as a promising solution for the deployment of silver as an effective sacrifical antimicrobial coating to counter the formation of potentially hazardous Gram negative biofilms.

AB - Composite films comprised of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) grown using a low-cost straightforward chemical bath based method have been deposited on glass microscope slides to investigate their potential as a sacrificial antibacterial coating. The as-deposited films have been characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry. These suggested that the films were relatively uniform in coverage. Chemical composition of the AgNP films has been studied by using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS analysis indicated that the Ag was in a metallic form able to sustain plasmon behaviour, and that low levels of residual nanoparticle precursors were present. Particle size was characterised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which showed an average particle size of 10.6 nm. The effectiveness of the films as an antibacterial coating was tested against Escherichia coli. The AgNP film was determined to be effective in the killing of E.coli cells over a 24 hour period when compared to equivalent samples that contained no silver. Of particular note was that only minimal bacterial growth was detected over the first 12 hours of testing, up to 78.6 times less than the control samples, suggesting the film is very efficient at slowing initial biofilm formation. The use of AgNP based films that have been synthesised using a novel low-cost, low-temperature and highly upscalable method is demonstrated as a promising solution for the deployment of silver as an effective sacrifical antimicrobial coating to counter the formation of potentially hazardous Gram negative biofilms.

U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.02.116

DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.02.116

M3 - Article

VL - 442

SP - 288

EP - 297

JO - Applied Surface Science

JF - Applied Surface Science

SN - 0169-4332

ER -