Chemical Vapour Deposition for the Generation of Visible Light Activated Antimicrobial Coatings
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
The goal of this research is to prepare new antimicrobial coatings that will work under normal room lighting conditions. The new coatings will be able to use visible light to dsetroy and decontaminate the surface and will be able to do so for all bacteria and viruses. They will be particularly useful in a hospital environment where they will be of great benefit in reducing transmission of hospital acquired infections- in particular MRSA.The coatings work by absorbing visible light and converting this into active species called radicals that chew up and destroy the walls of a bacteria or virus and hence inactivate the organism. The key part of the new science here is that by modifying an existing material called titanium dioxide we will be able to ensure that it can capture visible light. Up to now the titanium dioxide coatings would only be effective in combination with ultra-violet light from lamp sources. These are dangerous (direct UV can cause eye damage), energy intensive and not pratical to use on a large scale.The new coatings will be produced by chemical vapour deposition. This is a method of laying down a coating from material in the gas phase. We have developed a new combinatorial approach which enables films of graded composition to be depositied. By measuring the properties of the film at each point we are very rapidly able to examine what is the best composition mix in the film to obtain maximum visible light havesting.The efficacy of the new coatings at destroying organic chemicals, bacteri and a virus will be examined using normal room lighting.One further feature of the new coatings is that form very slippery surfaces. In fact water forms puddles and sheets on the surface rather than droplets or rivulets. This means that the coatings wash down uniformly any dirt or bacteria on their surfaces. One exciting aspect of the project is to measure how well bacteria will adhere to the surface and to measure the ease of biofilm formation. The biofilm stage is a critical one in assessing how well a film will form, adhere and colonise - contaminate a surface. We anticipate that these new coatinsg will prove exceptionally difficult for bacteria to colonise.
Organisations
Publications
Aiken Z
(2010)
Antimicrobial Activity in Thin Films of Pseudobrookite-Structured Titanium Oxynitride under UV Irradiation Observed for Escherichia coli
in Chemical Vapor Deposition
Kafizas A
(2010)
Combinatorial atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (cAPCVD) of niobium doped anatase; effect of niobium on the conductivity and photocatalytic activity
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Kafizas A
(2010)
Combinatorial CVD: New Oxynitride Photocatalysts
in ECS Transactions
Modeshia D
(2012)
Control of ZnO Nanostructures via Vapor Transport
in Chemical Vapor Deposition
Dunnill C
(2012)
CVD Production of Doped Titanium Dioxide Thin Films
in Chemical Vapor Deposition
Dunnill C
(2009)
Enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light in N-doped TiO2 thin films produced by APCVD preparations using t-butylamine as a nitrogen source and their potential for antibacterial films
in Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
Chrzanowski W
(2010)
Impaired bacterial attachment to light activated Ni-Ti alloy.
in Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications
Noimark S
(2012)
Incorporation of methylene blue and nanogold into polyvinyl chloride catheters; a new approach for light-activated disinfection of surfaces
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Dunnill C
(2009)
N-Doped Titania Thin Films Prepared by Atmospheric Pressure CVD using t -Butylamine as the Nitrogen Source: Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity under Visible Light
in Chemical Vapor Deposition
Qureshi U
(2009)
Nanoparticulate cerium dioxide and cerium dioxide-titanium dioxide composite thin films on glass by aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition
in Applied Surface Science
Dunnill C
(2011)
Nanoparticulate silver coated-titania thin films-Photo-oxidative destruction of stearic acid under different light sources and antimicrobial effects under hospital lighting conditions
in Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
Dunnill CW
(2011)
Nitrogen-doped TiO2 thin films: photocatalytic applications for healthcare environments.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Cross A
(2012)
Production of Predominantly Anatase Thin Films on Various Grades of Steel and Other Metallic Substrates From TiCl 4 and Ethyl Acetate by Atmospheric Pressure CVD
in Chemical Vapor Deposition
Charles W. Dunnill (Author)
(2012)
Silver loaded WO3_x/TiO2 composite multifunctional thin films
in Thin Solid Films
Dunnill C
(2010)
Sulfur- and Nitrogen-Doped Titania Biomaterials via APCVD
in Chemical Vapor Deposition
Knapp C
(2015)
Synthesis and characterisation of novel aluminium and gallium precursors for chemical vapour deposition
in New Journal of Chemistry
Perni S
(2009)
The antimicrobial properties of light-activated polymers containing methylene blue and gold nanoparticles.
in Biomaterials
Kafizas A
(2011)
The relationship between photocatalytic activity and photochromic state of nanoparticulate silver surface loaded titanium dioxide thin-films.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Noimark S
(2009)
The role of surfaces in catheter-associated infections.
in Chemical Society reviews
Perni S
(2009)
Toluidine blue-containing polymers exhibit potent bactericidal activity when irradiated with red laser light
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Dunnill C
(2011)
Visible light photocatalysts-N-doped TiO2 by sol-gel, enhanced with surface bound silver nanoparticle islands
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Dunnill C
(2009)
White light induced photocatalytic activity of sulfur-doped TiO2 thin films and their potential for antibacterial application
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Description | We have developed a range of new antimicrobal coatings. These work in a hospital setting to reduce bacterial load and enable surfaces to self sterilise. |
Exploitation Route | The work has spawned 7 demonstrator antibactrial products- from cling film to keyboards to I-phone covers. |
Sectors | Chemicals Healthcare |
URL | http://www.ucl.ac.uk/chemistry/staff/academic_pages/ivan_parkin |
Description | Medical Research Council |
Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | G0902208 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2011 |
End | 12/2013 |