Nanocoating for Antibacterial Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 12 September 2025 | Viewed by 2581

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Guest Editor
ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Laboratory Smart Components and Systems for Sustainable Manufacturing (SSPT-TIMAS-CMS), Portici, NA, Italy
Interests: nanocomposites; polymers; hybrid materials; nanomaterials; composites; electrospinning; polymer characterization; material characterization; polymeric materials; biomaterials; bio-coating; antimicrobial coating; antibacterial nanoparticles; recycled carbon fibers; additive manufacturing; FDM printing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The control and prevention of infections and diseases caused by bacteria and microbial pathogens represents a great challenge because microorganisms are present everywhere and can be spread through air, water, and all kinds of surfaces. This means that their infective action is responsible for contaminations in several fields, such as human health, foodstuffs, hospital services, and public facilities. Some of the commonly used antimicrobial agents include antibiotics, disinfectants, antiseptics, nanoparticles, metal ions, active polymers, antimicrobial peptides, quaternary ammonium compounds, naturally derived antimicrobials, and so on.

Nevertheless, the extensive and careless use of antibiotics and disinfectants has led to the growth of new strains of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, thus dramatically worsening the antimicrobial problem. Preventing the bacterial colonization of surfaces is a strategy for limiting the spread of infection. Functionalized surfaces can achieve performances that are not achievable by bulk materials. In addition, thin films employed as coatings can impart desired surface functions without affecting the bulk properties of the substrate material. Thanks to growing advances in materials science and biotechnology methodologies, different options are now available to design surfaces with antibacterial properties. Antibacterial coatings have become a very active field of research, strongly stimulated by the increasing urgency of alternatives to the traditional administration of antibiotics, taking into account that bioactivity is linked to surface properties.

The present Special Issue of Nanomaterials is aimed at presenting recent advances in the design, formulation, and preparation of antibacterial nanocoatings addressed to protect surfaces against microbial contamination.

Dr. Loredana Tammaro
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nanocomposites
  • nanoscale
  • coating
  • nanoparticles
  • nanocoating
  • antibacterial coatings
  • active coatings
  • antibacterial activity
  • biomedical
  • characterization

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3643 KiB  
Article
A Long-Term Study on the Bactericidal Effect of ZrN-Cu Nanostructured Coatings Deposited by an Industrial Physical Vapor Deposition System
by Sahand Behrangi, Eva Staňková, Ivo Sedláček, Lucie Šimoníková, Pavel Souček, Vilma Buršíková, Vjačeslav Sochora, Karel Novotný and Petr Vašina
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(6), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14060496 - 10 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1807
Abstract
ZrN-Cu coatings containing two different amounts of Cu (~11 at.% and ~25 at.%) were deposited using an industrial physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The as-deposited coatings exhibited 100% bactericidal efficiency against Escherichia coli CCM 3988 for an exposure time of 40 min. Subsequently, [...] Read more.
ZrN-Cu coatings containing two different amounts of Cu (~11 at.% and ~25 at.%) were deposited using an industrial physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The as-deposited coatings exhibited 100% bactericidal efficiency against Escherichia coli CCM 3988 for an exposure time of 40 min. Subsequently, the samples were attached onto our faculty’s door handles for six months to study the coatings’ long-term effectiveness and durability under actual operational conditions. The samples were periodically evaluated and it was observed that the coatings with 25 at.% Cu performed better than the ones with 11 at.% Cu. For example, following 15 days of being touched, the bactericidal effectiveness of the sample containing 25 at.% Cu dropped to 65% while it fell to 42% for the sample containing 11 at.%. After 6 months, however, both samples showed bactericidal efficiency of ~16–20%. The bactericidal efficiency of the samples touched for 6 months was successfully restored by polishing them. Furthermore, a group of samples was kept untouched and was also evaluated. The untouched samples with Cu content of ~25 at.% did not show any drop in their bactericidal properties after 6 months. ZrN-Cu coatings were concluded to be promising materials for self-sanitizing application on high-touch surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocoating for Antibacterial Applications)
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Review

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26 pages, 905 KiB  
Review
Advancements in Antimicrobial Surface Coatings Using Metal/Metaloxide Nanoparticles, Antibiotics, and Phytochemicals
by Preetha Ebenezer, S. P. S. N. Buddhika Sampath Kumara, S. W. M. A. Ishantha Senevirathne, Laura J. Bray, Phurpa Wangchuk, Asha Mathew and Prasad K. D. V. Yarlagadda
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(13), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15131023 - 1 Jul 2025
Abstract
The growing prevalence of bacterial infections and the alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have driven the need for innovative antimicrobial coatings for medical implants and biomaterials. However, implant surface properties, such as roughness, chemistry, and reactivity, critically influence biological interactions and must [...] Read more.
The growing prevalence of bacterial infections and the alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have driven the need for innovative antimicrobial coatings for medical implants and biomaterials. However, implant surface properties, such as roughness, chemistry, and reactivity, critically influence biological interactions and must be engineered to ensure biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and sustained antibacterial activity. This review evaluates three principal categories of antimicrobial agents utilized in surface functionalization: metal/metaloxide nanoparticles, antibiotics, and phytochemical compounds. Metal/metaloxide-based coatings, especially those incorporating silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO), and copper oxide (CuO), offer broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy through mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and bacterial membrane disruption, with a reduced risk of resistance development. Antibiotic-based coatings enable localized drug delivery but often face limitations related to burst release, cytotoxicity, and diminishing effectiveness against multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. In contrast, phytochemical-derived coatings—using bioactive plant compounds such as curcumin, eugenol, and quercetin—present a promising, biocompatible, and sustainable alternative. These agents not only exhibit antimicrobial properties but also provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and osteogenic benefits, making them multifunctional tools for implant surface modification. The integration of these antimicrobial strategies aims to reduce bacterial adhesion, inhibit biofilm formation, and enhance tissue regeneration. By leveraging the synergistic effects of metal/metaloxide nanoparticles, antibiotics, and phytochemicals, next-generation implant coatings hold the potential to significantly improve infection control and clinical outcomes in implant-based therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocoating for Antibacterial Applications)
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