Antimicrobial properties of gold and copper-coated textile electrodes produced though electro-less deposition

Abstract: Gold-coated and copper-coated para-aramide textile fabrics, produced through electro-less deposition method have been studied concerning their antimicrobial properties. It is studied the behaviour of the specific textiles to develop micro-organisms in contact to the human body and also their capability to inhibit the development of various micro-organisms. This work deals with the antimicrobial behaviour of fabrics that contain metallic copper as well as metallic gold in their composition. Copper has antimicrobial activity. However, the copper plating and gold plating of yarns, threads or fabrics is a process that has been recently and gradually improving. Additionally, the surface of the fabric has unevenness and allows the creation of pockets of development and incubation of microorganisms. The fabrics have been subjected into contamination with some microbes and bacteria so as to be tested concerning their antimicrobial properties. The strains used were: 2 Gram positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228) and 4 Gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Enterobacter cloacae (ATCC 13047), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 13883) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 227853). It is attempted to demonstrate that the use of fabric containing copper or gold in its composition (e.g sheet/blanket), significantly reduces the presence of microbes in the region with which it comes into contact. In such a way, there may be feasible to avoid Healthcare Associated Infections or spreading germs through the hospital staff or even to reduce the severity of existing infections by reducing the concentration of the causative factor through the known antimicrobial activity of copper