Research Article

Potential of silver nanoparticle-coated polyurethane foam as an antibacterial water filter

  1. Prashant Jain1,
  2. T. Pradeep2,*

Article first published online: 18 FEB 2005

DOI: 10.1002/bit.20368

Issue

Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Volume 90, Issue 1, pages 59–63, 5 April 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Jain, P. and Pradeep, T. (2005), Potential of silver nanoparticle-coated polyurethane foam as an antibacterial water filter. Biotechnol. Bioeng., 90: 59–63. doi: 10.1002/bit.20368

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India

  2. 2

    Department of Chemistry and Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India; telephone: ++91-44-2257 0509/8267; Fax: ++91-44-2257 0509/0545

*Department of Chemistry and Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India; telephone: ++91-44-2257 0509/8267; Fax: ++91-44-2257 0509/0545

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 MAR 2005
  2. Article first published online: 18 FEB 2005
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 1 OCT 2004
  4. Manuscript Received: 25 JUN 2004

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Keywords:

  • silver nanoparticles;
  • polyurethane;
  • antibacterial

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles can be coated on common polyurethane (PU) foams by overnight exposure of the foams to nanoparticle solutions. Repeated washing and air-drying yields uniformly coated PU foam, which can be used as a drinking water filter where bacterial contamination of the surface water is a health risk. Nanoparticles are stable on the foam and are not washed away by water. Morphology of the foam was retained after coating. The nanoparticle binding is due to its interaction with the nitrogen atom of the PU. Online tests were conducted with a prototypical water filter. At a flow rate of 0.5 L/min, in which contact time was of the order of a second, the output count of Escherichia coli was nil when the input water had a bacterial load of 105 colony-forming units (CFU) per mL. Combined with the low cost and effectiveness in its applications, the technology may have large implications to developing countries. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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