Development of hybrid antimicrobial materials

• Main Author: Chia, Si Chuan
• Other Authors: Duan Hongwei
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/68550
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

There has been an emerging challenge of bacteria with antibiotic resistance known as “superbugs”. These “superbugs” have gained antibiotic resistance that render traditional antibiotics less effective. Recently, new antimicrobial materials are being developed in biomedical research through integration of nanotechnology. In this project, antimicrobial nanomaterial comprises gold and polymer was synthesised to examine the efficacy in eliminating the microbial through cytoplasmic membrane disruption of bacteria. Charge attraction between the positively charged polymer coated on gold nanomaterial and negatively charged membrane surface of bacteria results hydrophobic reaction which causes cytoplasmic membrane disruption. Ultimately, the membrane disruption will damage the membrane and affect normal cell function. The results of cultured antibacterial tests conducted on treated Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) and Escherichia coli (E.coli) indicates that cell growth for both bacteria was inhibited. Moreover, results from fluorescence imaging microscopy of treated sample showed that the cell membranes was damaged by the antimicrobial nanomaterials. Images obtained from scanning electron microscopy further prove that the damage of bacteria cell membrane was the result of antimicrobial nanomaterial attachment. Therefore, the results of the various tests conducted on both treated S.aureus and E.coli showed that the antimicrobial nanomaterial synthesized was effective in causing cell membrane disruption.