Deposition of Silver Oxysalts and Their Antimicrobial Properties

Chemical (electroless) deposition of silver oxysalts such as Ag 7 NO 11 × 3 Ag 2 SO 4 and Ag 7 NO 11 as powders or on a textile, i.e. , high density polyethylene is investigated. The process is based on a reaction between AgNO 3 , a source of Ag(I) ion, and ( NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 or K 2 S 2 O 8 used as oxidizing agents of silver(I) ions. In this way, silver(I) is oxidized to Ag(II) and/or AG(III). Silver oxysalts, produced in the present work are soluble in both nitric acid or ammonium hydroxide. These silver oxysalts are stable at room temperature, however, with an increase in temperature they decompose to a mixture of silver oxide(s) and silver salt(s), e.g. , Ag 2 SO 4 of AgNO 3 , depending on the composition of the initial compound. The oxidized silver species, based on silver oxysalts exhibited a strong antimicrobial effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphyloccus aureus , and Candida albicans microorganisms.