Theoretical Assessment of Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Coating for Medical Applications

Silver-based biomaterials have excellent antimicrobial properties, as shown by experimental studies on bacterial cultures, viruses, and fungi. The properties of silver nanoparticles have attracted attention around the development of materials that efficiently utilize these characteristics. Thus, silver has been incorporated into many medical products, such as anticancer agents, controlled-release systems, coatings for orthopedic materials and medical devices, as well as bandages, etc.

The aim of this study is to simulate the antimicrobial properties of silver coatings and observe the influence of the morphology and thickness of the silver layer on these properties. To achieve this, the variation in time of the silver concentration and the concentration of bacterial cultures in the selected medium (agar in a Petri dish) were monitored. In this study, the diffusion of silver ions through agar and their interaction with Gram-positive (S. aureus, S. epidermidis) and Gram-negative (E. coli, K. pneumoniae) bacterial cultures was simulated.

According to preliminary data, particles with cubic and spherical morphology exhibit the best antimicrobial properties, with a silver concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. These results indicate the applicability of simulations as a preliminary method for determining the optimal parameters for designing materials with medical applications.