Advanced Antimicrobial and Bioactive Coatings for Broad-Spectrum Protection

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antimicrobial Materials and Surfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 1854

Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center in Applied Morphology and Immunology (NuPMIA), Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Interests: biotechnology; bionanotechnology; bioprospection; biomolecules; health and environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Research Center in Applied Morphology and Immunology (NuPMIA), Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília 70910-900, DF, Brazil
2. University Center of the Federal District, UDF, Brasília 70390045, DF, Brazil
Interests: nanotechnology; biotechnology; skin care; natural antimicrobial products; antimicrobial cosmetics; nutraceuticals; pharmaceutical regulation and biocidals and surfaces
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases remain a major global challenge, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Increasing global connectivity, demographic shifts, and climate changes are facilitating the rapid spread of pathogens, exacerbating the risks of infections in both community and hospital settings. In response, the development of advanced antimicrobial and bioactive coatings has gained increasing attention due to their potential for large-scale microbial control.

Smart antimicrobial coatings offer innovative solutions for infection prevention, with applications spanning healthcare, veterinary medicine, the food and pharmaceutical industries, agriculture, aerospace, public transportation, and domestic environments. These coatings can exhibit biocidal or biostatic activity but also face challenges related to compatibility with commonly used cleaning and disinfecting agents. Furthermore, ensuring their efficacy under real environmental conditions requires the standardization of methodologies for evaluating antimicrobial performance, toxicity, and physicochemical stability.

Given the ongoing concerns about nosocomial infections, global pandemics, and hygiene crises, this Special Issue will engage both research institutions and technology-driven industries. We welcome contributions focusing on novel antimicrobial coating materials, including nanotechnology-based solutions, as well as advancements in mechanisms of action, compatibility, safety, efficacy, and standardized testing methods.

We invite researchers, scientists, and industry experts to submit your latest findings and technological innovations and contribute to this growing and impactful field.

Prof. Dr. José Roberto Souza Almeida Leite
Prof. Dr. Andreanne Gomes Vasconcelos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antimicrobial coatings
  • bioactive surfaces
  • smart coatings for health
  • broad-spectrum antimicrobial materials
  • nanotechnology in antimicrobial coatings
  • disinfectant-compatible coatings
  • surface functionalization for microbial control
  • sustainable antimicrobial strategies

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 11562 KB  
Article
Antimicrobial Activity and Characterization of a Validated Copper-Complexed Polymer Tape for Surface Disinfectant Applications
by Andreanne G. Vasconcelos, William D. Amorim, Bruno S. Sá, Luan B. V. Costa, Gustavo S. de Araujo, Helder Andrey R. Gomes, Jorge Antônio Chamon Júnior, Amabel F. Correia, Íris Cabral, Thales R. Machado, Dayse Maria C. de Mendonça, Ingrid Gracielle M. da Silva, Joaquim L. Júnior, Elivaldo R. de Santana, Yvonne Mascarenhas, Sônia N. Báo, Valtencir Zucolotto, Peter Eaton, Ciro M. Gomes and José Roberto de S. A. Leite
Antibiotics 2025, 14(12), 1262; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14121262 - 14 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1317
Abstract
Background: Surface contamination in healthcare environments plays a key role in the persistence and transmission of microorganisms. Long-lasting antimicrobial coatings based on copper–polymer complexes offer a promising passive strategy to minimize environmental contamination and healthcare-associated infections. Methods: This study evaluated a [...] Read more.
Background: Surface contamination in healthcare environments plays a key role in the persistence and transmission of microorganisms. Long-lasting antimicrobial coatings based on copper–polymer complexes offer a promising passive strategy to minimize environmental contamination and healthcare-associated infections. Methods: This study evaluated a copper-alloy polymeric tape through physicochemical, in vitro, and hospital-based assessments. Structural analyses (XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX) were used to characterize the material, while antimicrobial efficacy was determined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria following ISO 22196:2011. A randomized 19-week clinical study was conducted in the Emergency and Urgent Unit of the University Hospital of Brasília to quantify microbial loads on high-touch surfaces covered with the copper-alloy tape or a non-antimicrobial control. Results: Structural characterization techniques validated the integrity and heterogeneous distribution of copper within the polymeric matrix. All tested bacterial strains exhibited complete growth inhibition on the copper-alloy tape, with final counts consistently below the detection threshold (<1.00 log10 CFU/mL). Human keratinocytes analyzed by SEM showed preserved morphology. In hospital conditions, treated surfaces maintained significantly lower microbial loads than controls over 19 weeks. The number of yeast-positive samples was small compared to the total number of samples collected during the study, but Candida parapsilosis was the most frequently identified species. Conclusions: These findings support its use as a sustainable intervention to reduce environmental contamination and infection risks in healthcare settings. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop