ZnO-Based Materials for Antimicrobial, Packaging, and Photocatalytic Applications
A Special Issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) belonging to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2027 | Viewed by 166
Editors
2. Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov St., 050044 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: nanostructured photocatalysts; intelligent drug delivery systems; antimicrobial nanoparticles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: antimicrobial nanoparticles; biodegradable packaging; wound dressing
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Zinc oxide nanoparticles, due to their good biocompatibility, low toxicity, and desirable optical properties, are increasingly being used in active food packaging, antimicrobial coatings, and photocatalytic applications. These composite materials exhibit strong antimicrobial properties by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and releasing Zn2+ ions capable of altering the membranes of microorganisms by disrupting their structural integrity. The intrinsic antimicrobial activity of ZnO, based on multiple independent action mechanisms, has fueled increasing research interest in recent years, with over 5000 papers published in 2025.
The rise in antibiotic resistance and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. In this context, the use of unconventional antimicrobials can help us to fight the acquired resistance to antibiotics and can pave the way for innovative materials and applications. ZnO-based composites are used in the medical domain in specific applications from wound-dressing to implant coatings and dentistry. Additionally, ZnO-based packaging is emerging as a distinct class of antimicrobial biodegradable alternative to the traditional petroleum-based plastics.
The properties of ZnO nanoparticles can be tailored by size, shape, and surface functionalization using different synthesis approaches. Surface functionalization, capping agents, and pore loading are just a few of the strategies that have recently been adopted to obtain ZnO-based drug delivery systems. ZnO also acts as a potent photocatalyst for environmental applications such as the degradation of organic pollutants like dyes, pesticides, or antibiotics for water remediation.
This Special Issue of Materials will cover recent advances in the synthesis of tailored ZnO nanoparticles and the design of ZnO-based composite nanomaterials used in antimicrobial applications in various domains, e.g., wound dressings in biomedicine, antimicrobial packaging in the food industry, and the photocatalytic treatment of waste water in ecology.
We welcome the submission of full papers, communications, and reviews. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Antimicrobial strategies based on ZnO nanoparticles;
- ZnO-based materials in medicine (biomedical devices, drug delivery, and wound dressing);
- Photocatalytic applications of ZnO-based materials;
- ZnO-based composite films for packaging;
- ZnO nanoparticles in sensing systems.
Prof. Dr. Ovidiu Oprea
Dr. Ludmila Motelica
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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
- ZnO
- green synthesis
- antimicrobial applications
- wound dressing
- composite films
- food packaging
- water treatment
- photocatalysis
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