Durability of silver nanoparticulate films within a silica matrix by flame assisted chemical vapour deposition for biocidal applications.

Healthcare acquired infection (HCAI) rates have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years and been a major priority for health professionals in the UK and elsewhere. Of particular concern is the rise of so called 'superbugs', or those resistant to conventional antibiotics, such as Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The reasons for this rise are many and complex, but one important factor is bacterial survival rates on wards and other hospital areas. In this respect, nanostructured biocidal surfaces offer a potentially powerful weapon in the fight against HCAI. In addition to providing a toxic environment to a range of infectious disease-causing bacteria (while remaining harmless to human health), any potential bioactive coated surface is required to be durable enough to withstand regular hospital cleaning methods without a reduction in biocidal activity over time and be economically viable to mass produce. The flame assisted chemical vapour deposition (FACVD) of silver and silver/silica films offer a means of producing such surfaces. In this work, we report investigations into a wide range of experimental factors and parameters affecting film durability, including burner head design and relative water vapour content in the flame environment. The produced films were assessed in terms of durability (by scratch testing) and relative silver content using glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES).