Hybrid Siloxane Epoxy Coatings Containing Quaternary Ammonium Moieties

An ever increasing concern over bacterial infections caused by consumer products as well as medical devices is obvious from the recent surge in literature documenting the need for novel self-decontaminating coatings. Within, we report a hybrid ionic organic/inorganic siloxane epoxy system containing quaternary ammonium moieties. This novel low surface energy antimicrobial coating is capable of self-decontaminating in a variety of environments. The system is designed to be used as an over-coating, for devices that are prone to come into contact with pathogenic bacteria. These coatings have been synthesized, characterized, and analyzed for both physical and antimicrobial properties. Preliminary antimicrobial evaluation indicates a direct correlation between antimicrobial activity and hydrophobicity of the biocidal functional group within the resin matrix. These coatings have demonstrated the ability to eliminate up to 99.9% of pathogenic bacteria on the surface. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 110: 3080-3086,2008