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11:52
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activities of Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surfaces In Vitro
Published on: April 21, 2023
Core-Shell Nanoparticle Additive Enables High-Efficacy Antimicrobial Coatings
Ricardo Ortega1, Zhengtao Yang1, Serkan Demirci1
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 17, 2026
Summary
This study introduces core-shell particles for cost-effective, waterborne antimicrobial coatings. These particles offer rechargeable, long-lasting bacterial killing for hygienic surfaces.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Antimicrobial Technology
Background:
- Microbial growth on surfaces is a significant challenge in maintaining hygienic environments.
- Hydantoin-based antimicrobials offer potent, low-toxicity, and durable biocidal properties.
- Existing hydantoin acrylamides (HAs) have limitations in waterborne coatings due to cost and solubility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective and water-soluble antimicrobial additive using hydantoin-based materials.
- To create a core-shell (CS) particle architecture for enhanced performance in waterborne coatings.
- To demonstrate the efficacy and reusability of the CS particles as antimicrobial agents.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized core-shell particles with a polystyrene core and a poly(hydantoin acrylamide) (PHA) shell.
- Activated CS particles with dilute chlorine bleach to generate antimicrobial N-halamines.
- Incorporated CS particles into waterborne coatings and evaluated their antimicrobial activity and rechargeability.
- Tested contact killing efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
Main Results:
- The CS particle design reduced HA usage by 65%, lowering material costs by approximately 3-fold.
- CS particles showed improved solid loadings (18-fold increase) and smaller particle sizes compared to pure PHA.
- Activated CS particles exhibited higher oxidative chlorine levels, leading to effective antimicrobial N-halamine generation.
- Antimicrobial coatings with CS particles demonstrated 100% bacterial killing within 30 minutes and were rechargeable over five cycles.
Conclusions:
- The core-shell particle approach provides an efficient and scalable method for producing durable antimicrobial additives.
- CS particles overcome the limitations of traditional HAs, enabling their integration into waterborne coating systems.
- This technology offers a promising solution for creating long-lasting, rechargeable antimicrobial surfaces with reduced material costs.
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