Improved antimicrobial activity of silica-Cu using a heteropolyacid and different precursors by sol-gel: synthesis and characterization

R. ARRECHE; N. BELLOTTI; M. BLANCO; P. VÁZQUEZ

JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2015 vol. 75 p. 374 - 382

0928-0707

Antimicrobial coatings are used to avoid the proliferation of fungi and bacteria inside urban buildings by incorporating low concentrations of antimicrobial agents (biocides). This study is focused on evaluating the antifungal activity of copper (II) supported on a silica matrix, and as counter-cation of a heteropolyacid, obtained from the sol?gel method using various catalysts, against two fungal isolates. The fungi used in this evaluation were Alternaria alternata and Chaetomium globosum isolated by routine microbiological techniques from biodeteriorated paints films. In all cases, fungi were selected due to their ability to grow on the paint films and their negative impact on human health. First, silicas were prepared using tetraethylorthosilicate and methyl trimethoxysilane as precursors and acetic acid, hydrochloric acid as catalysts of the hydrolysis reaction of the alkoxide. The effect of addition of copper (II) in the form of copper nitrate was studied. With respect to the morphology of the silica, most of them are similar, between pure and modified silica, in all cases.