Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin

Abstract Surface contamination is an important, if under-discussed, route of infection transmission. In this study, we suspended chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) in epoxy resin. CHX was found to be stably incorporated into the material, and its addition to epoxy resin was found to have minimal effect...

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Main Authors: Madeline Berrow, Alexander Brooks, Anna M. Kotowska, Julie Watts, Lily Riordan, Luke Kidger, David J. Scurr, Naa Dei Nikoi, Manuel Banzhaf, Jack Alfred Bryant, Simon Greenway, Violaine Mendez, Brian Norton, Felicity de Cogan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90465-7
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author Madeline Berrow
Alexander Brooks
Anna M. Kotowska
Julie Watts
Lily Riordan
Luke Kidger
David J. Scurr
Naa Dei Nikoi
Manuel Banzhaf
Jack Alfred Bryant
Simon Greenway
Violaine Mendez
Brian Norton
Felicity de Cogan
author_facet Madeline Berrow
Alexander Brooks
Anna M. Kotowska
Julie Watts
Lily Riordan
Luke Kidger
David J. Scurr
Naa Dei Nikoi
Manuel Banzhaf
Jack Alfred Bryant
Simon Greenway
Violaine Mendez
Brian Norton
Felicity de Cogan
author_sort Madeline Berrow
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Surface contamination is an important, if under-discussed, route of infection transmission. In this study, we suspended chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) in epoxy resin. CHX was found to be stably incorporated into the material, and its addition to epoxy resin was found to have minimal effects on the optical transparency of the material. After application of the epoxy resin to steel surfaces, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry revealed that CHX was uniformly present over the surface. Surfaces painted with CHX-resin were found to have significant, reproducible antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. We have shown that the addition of CHX has minimal effects on the adhesion of the epoxy resin to surfaces, as well as a high durability of the antimicrobial efficacy. We believe that this material has a wide array of applications, and could be utilised to confer significant, low-cost antimicrobial efficacy to existing surfaces, to prevent surface contamination, and to stop the transmission of infectious disease.
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spelling doaj-art-d12b8b1c20fe431bbb2d3f2f7e6f0c402025-08-20T02:19:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-90465-7Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resinMadeline Berrow0Alexander Brooks1Anna M. Kotowska2Julie Watts3Lily Riordan4Luke Kidger5David J. Scurr6Naa Dei Nikoi7Manuel Banzhaf8Jack Alfred Bryant9Simon Greenway10Violaine Mendez11Brian Norton12Felicity de Cogan13School of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamInstitute of Microbiology and Infection, University of BirminghamInstitute of Microbiology and Infection, University of BirminghamIndestructible Paint LtdIndestructible Paint LtdIndestructible Paint LtdSchool of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamAbstract Surface contamination is an important, if under-discussed, route of infection transmission. In this study, we suspended chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) in epoxy resin. CHX was found to be stably incorporated into the material, and its addition to epoxy resin was found to have minimal effects on the optical transparency of the material. After application of the epoxy resin to steel surfaces, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry revealed that CHX was uniformly present over the surface. Surfaces painted with CHX-resin were found to have significant, reproducible antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. We have shown that the addition of CHX has minimal effects on the adhesion of the epoxy resin to surfaces, as well as a high durability of the antimicrobial efficacy. We believe that this material has a wide array of applications, and could be utilised to confer significant, low-cost antimicrobial efficacy to existing surfaces, to prevent surface contamination, and to stop the transmission of infectious disease.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90465-7ChlorhexidineC7H4N2Cl−AntimicrobialPolymerEpoxy resinBiocidal
spellingShingle Madeline Berrow
Alexander Brooks
Anna M. Kotowska
Julie Watts
Lily Riordan
Luke Kidger
David J. Scurr
Naa Dei Nikoi
Manuel Banzhaf
Jack Alfred Bryant
Simon Greenway
Violaine Mendez
Brian Norton
Felicity de Cogan
Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
Scientific Reports
Chlorhexidine
C7H4N2Cl−
Antimicrobial
Polymer
Epoxy resin
Biocidal
title Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
title_full Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
title_fullStr Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
title_full_unstemmed Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
title_short Development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
title_sort development and characterisation of antimicrobial epoxy resin
topic Chlorhexidine
C7H4N2Cl−
Antimicrobial
Polymer
Epoxy resin
Biocidal
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90465-7
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