Antifungal activity of polymer-based copper nanocomposite coatings

Eukaryotes, such as fungi, can be harmful pathogen agents, and the control of their bioactivity is critical as humans are eukaryote organisms, too. Here, copper/polymer nanocomposites are proposed as antifungal spinnable coatings with controlled copper-releasing properties. The tests of the bioactivity show that fungal growth is inhibited on the nanocomposite-coated plates, and the antifungal activity can be modulated by controlling the Cu nanoparticle loading. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.