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Home > News > Nanotube-Polymer Mixture Prevents Biofilms - Nanomaterials: Combining carbon nanotubes with a polymer reduces the amount of nanotubes needed to kill bacteria

December 1st, 2011

Nanotube-Polymer Mixture Prevents Biofilms - Nanomaterials: Combining carbon nanotubes with a polymer reduces the amount of nanotubes needed to kill bacteria

Abstract:
Carbon nanotubes can kill bacteria and prevent the formation of virulent and corrosive biofilms, probably by puncturing the microbes' cell walls. As a result, scientists think the nanomaterials could produce antimicrobial coatings for surgical equipment and industrial piping. But nanotubes are difficult to turn into effective coatings, toxic to people at high concentrations, and expensive. Now researchers report that mixing nanotubes with a specific polymer can produce thin films that are still effective at killing bacteria, but use very low concentrations of nanotubes (Environ. Sci. Technol., DOI: 10.1021/es202374e).

Source:
cen.acs.org

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(Environ. Sci. Technol., DOI: 10.1021/es202374e).

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