Silver-clay nanohybrid structure for effective and diffusion-controlled antimicrobial activity

We describe here the synthesis and antimicrobial activity of silver-clay nanohybrid structure that was processed to exhibit a combination of accelerated and diffusion-controlled antimicrobial activity, with long term impact. The antimicrobial activity is assessed in terms of interaction with Escherichia coli, where the constituents of the nanohybrid structure play a synergistic role. Clay provides a physically stable surface for nucleation of silver nanoparticles. Additionally, the parallel- stacked layered structure of clay facilitates diffusion-controlled antimicrobial activity of in-situ precipitated silver. The antimicrobial activity is about four orders of magnitude greater than ex-situ precipitated bare silver particles. The study emphasizes the significance of controlling antimicrobial activity in nanostructured systems, which in the present case is enhanced and controlled antimicrobial activity with long term implication. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.