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A Photocatalytic TiO2 Coating with Optimized Mechanical Properties Shows Strong Antimicrobial Activity Against
Eduardo Torres Domínguez1, Fnu Chenggeer2, Liang Mao2
1Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 31, 2025
Summary
Titanium dioxide antimicrobial coatings were developed for food contact surfaces (FCSs) to inhibit bacterial growth. Optimized coatings demonstrated potential for preventing foodborne pathogens like E. coli and S. aureus.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Food Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Antimicrobial coatings are crucial for preventing bacterial contamination on food contact surfaces (FCSs).
- Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a promising material for antimicrobial applications due to its photocatalytic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and optimize titanium dioxide coatings on stainless steel for FCS applications.
- To investigate the influence of synthesis parameters on coating properties and antimicrobial efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Sol-gel method was used to fabricate TiO2 coatings with varying synthesis parameters.
- Nanoindentation was employed to measure hardness and elastic modulus.
- Antimicrobial activity was tested against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus.
Main Results:
- Hardness and elastic modulus were significantly influenced by protocol and sintering temperature.
- Maximum hardness was achieved at 595 °C, and maximum elastic modulus at 640 °C.
- Optimized coatings showed potential for inhibiting foodborne pathogens and their biofilms.
Conclusions:
- The study identified optimal synthesis parameters for TiO2 coatings with enhanced mechanical and photocatalytic properties.
- The developed coatings show significant potential for application on food contact surfaces to improve food safety.
