A new research project at the Hohenstein Group deals with antimicrobial effects of Lewis acids that are applied on textile surfaces.
Results of this work may significantly contribute to countermeasures against multi-resistant bacteria as found, for example, in medical facilities, the Group says.
Lewis acids exhibit an acidic surface effect and an antimicrobial effect has been demonstrated.
Therefore, these compounds can already be found in applications such as the cleaning of floors in hospitals.
However, they have not been applied on textile surfaces. In presence of moisture, Lewis acids (metal oxides, e.g. zinc oxide) generate low pH-values on their surfaces resulting in antimicrobial effects comparable to the natural protective acid mantle of human skin.
Compared to commercially available antimicrobial substances, Lewis acids have proven to be useful against different pathogens like fungi, bacteria and even viruses.
Furthermore, they have found to be very effective and stable even during exposure to human sweat and proteins. Besides, estimations suggest that the use of Lewis acids in antimicrobial textile coatings may result in cost-reductions of up to 90%.
