AgCu Nanoparticles as an Antibacterial Coating for Wood

Abstract

Nano inorganic antibacterial materials (such as nano silver and nano copper) are popular in preventing the spread of bacteria on wood and protecting human health. However, their antibacterial activity and cost are always difficult to balance, and their leachability during the applied procedure impedes service life. Herein, a low-cost nano AgCu alloy with high antibacterial activity is synthesized by a liquid reduction method and further physically mixed with waterborne paint to fabricate the composite paint. The obtained nano AgCu alloy is demonstrated to possess superior antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with a low concentration (10 ppm), a short time (1 min), and a 100% antibacterial rate, due to the synergistic effect between Ag and Cu, and the promoted release of Ag ion. Meanwhile, the composite coating containing nano AgCu alloy could endow the effective migration of Ag ions and further facilitate the high durability and maintain the lasting antibacterial effect on the wood surface by reducing the leaching rate of nano alloy particles from 1.58% to 0.62%. This work provides a reference for future research and development on antibacterial coatings of wood surfaces.

Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity of AgCu Nanoparticles: The Role of Particle Size and Alloy Composition

“…Therefore, it is essential to identify an optimal particle size that balances good antibacterial activity with ease of manufacture and storage stability. AgCu NPs have attracted particular interest not only for their enhanced antibacterial efficacy and synergistic effects but also for their potential in air-purification applications such as high-durability antibacterial filter coatings [26] and long-lasting antibacterial coatings [27,28].…”