Comparison of Physico-Chemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Surface Treated Textile Materials with Silver, Copper and Bismuth Compounds

Abstract

Physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties of composite materials comprising a gauze coated with silver, Ag7O8NO3 (silver oxysalt), copper, or bismuth oxides were investigated. For this purpose, nylon substrates were coated with metallic silver or metallic copper using the electroless deposition procedures. Coating of nylon gauze with BiOCl was performed using BiCl3 as a source of bismuth ions. Additionally, silver or copper coated nylon substrates were treated with complexed K[BiI4] solutions. Simple bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of produced composite materials were also investigated. All samples containing oxidized silver or copper species in a combination with bismuth exhibited both bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities. BiOCl coated nylon substrates exhibited some bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, but notably, the results of the present showed that the presence of bismuth only was not sufficient for an acceptable antimicrobial activity.