Synthetic Fibers with Silver-Containing Coatings and Their Antimicrobial Properties

Chemical and electrochemical methods to deposit nanolayers of metallic silver and its low-solubility compounds on polymer fiber surfaces are presented. The morphology and phase composition of the coatings were studied and their antimicrobial activity compared. We find that the antimicrobial activity of the coatings increases substantially with increasing solubility. Their high surface area and high porosity make synthetic fibers with these coatings promising for application as antimicrobial filters in air purification and water treatment systems.