Understanding the mechanisms of long-lasting antimicrobial surfaces: Nanostructural insights from XRR and GIXS

Wessex Chemical Factors Ltd, a UK SME, has developed a novel formulation that unexpectedly exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and positive bacteria and yeasts 48 hours after a single spray application of the product to the surface. Furthermore, the formulation has as its main component polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) that creates a smooth and glossy surface which is highly desirable to EU consumers, superior to the USA-developed Microban technology www.microban.com which leaves behind streaky and patchy surface residues. In collaboration with Wessex, here we propose to use XRR and GIXS to study the nanofilm structure when PDMS and other key formulation actives are deposited on silica substrates. The out-of-plane and in-plane structure will provide mechanistic insights into the effective nanostructure underpinning their long-lasting antimicrobial efficacy, guiding Wessex formulation optimization.