Fabrication of Robust Antibacterial Coatings Based on an Organic–Inorganic Hybrid System

Abstract

Antibacterial coatings have drawn much attention because of their high potential applications in medicine. However, the weak mechanical property, poor biosafety, and biocompatibility of most established antibacterial coatings restrict their applications. In this study, robust antibacterial coatings were fabricated via a simple organic–inorganic hybrid method. The polymer component provides an excellent antibacterial property to the coatings, and the hybrid silica sol improves the hardness of coatings. After cross-linking, network-structured coatings were formed. The coating surfaces exhibited high transmittance, excellent mechanical property, and good antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Streptococcus mutans (Gram-positive). Additionally, the robust coatings were noncytotoxic with satisfactory biocompatibility. Such results provide a theoretical basis for their applications in the biomedical field.