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<p>Medical device-associated bloodstream infections remain a significant clinical challenge due to microbial adhesion, biofilm formation, and increasing antibiotic resistance. This study investigates the antimicrobial performance of polypropylene (PP) composites incorporating dual-metal oxide systems comprising hydrothermally synthesized Cu–TiO₂ nanoparticles and commercially blended CuO–TiO₂ particles. The novelty of this work lies in the direct comparison of elemental copper- and copper oxide-based TiO₂ systems embedded within a PP matrix, enabling elucidation of the relationship between nanoparticle composition, crystallization behaviour, ion release, and antimicrobial efficacy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first direct comparison of Cu–TiO₂ and CuO–TiO₂ polypropylene composites against clinically relevant bloodstream pathogens. Composites containing 3 wt% dual-metal oxide fillers were fabricated through melt compounding and evaluated against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i>. Thermal analysis revealed that Cu–TiO₂-PP exhibited the lowest crystallinity (20.63%) compared with CuO–TiO₂-PP (27.06%) and pure PP (33.28%), indicating increased amorphous regions that facilitate water uptake and ion diffusion. Atomic absorption spectroscopy confirmed sustained Cu<sup>2</sup>⁺ ion release from Cu–TiO₂-PP during prolonged immersion. Antimicrobial assessment demonstrated enhanced antifungal activity against <i>C. albicans</i>, attributed to nanoscale particle size, improved dispersion, elemental copper bioactivity, and sustained ion release. In contrast, both composites showed limited antibacterial efficacy against <i>S. epidermidis</i>, suggesting that higher filler loadings may be required to overcome the Gram-positive cell wall. Importantly, dual-metal oxide fillers preserved the mechanical performance of PP. These findings establish Cu–TiO₂-PP as a promising non-antibiotic antimicrobial material for infection-resistant medical devices and biomedical surfaces.</p>

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Tailoring Antimicrobial Polypropylene with Dual-Metal Oxide Systems: Hydrothermal Versus Commercial Approaches Against Key Bloodstream Pathogens

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月22日

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  • G Ambarasan Govindasamy,
  • Srimala Sreekantan,
  • Geethaa Sahgal,
  • Priscilla Jayanthi Thavamany,
  • Ming Thong Ong,
  • Khairul Arifah Saharudin,
  • Aik Aun Tan

摘要

Medical device-associated bloodstream infections remain a significant clinical challenge due to microbial adhesion, biofilm formation, and increasing antibiotic resistance. This study investigates the antimicrobial performance of polypropylene (PP) composites incorporating dual-metal oxide systems comprising hydrothermally synthesized Cu–TiO₂ nanoparticles and commercially blended CuO–TiO₂ particles. The novelty of this work lies in the direct comparison of elemental copper- and copper oxide-based TiO₂ systems embedded within a PP matrix, enabling elucidation of the relationship between nanoparticle composition, crystallization behaviour, ion release, and antimicrobial efficacy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first direct comparison of Cu–TiO₂ and CuO–TiO₂ polypropylene composites against clinically relevant bloodstream pathogens. Composites containing 3 wt% dual-metal oxide fillers were fabricated through melt compounding and evaluated against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Thermal analysis revealed that Cu–TiO₂-PP exhibited the lowest crystallinity (20.63%) compared with CuO–TiO₂-PP (27.06%) and pure PP (33.28%), indicating increased amorphous regions that facilitate water uptake and ion diffusion. Atomic absorption spectroscopy confirmed sustained Cu2⁺ ion release from Cu–TiO₂-PP during prolonged immersion. Antimicrobial assessment demonstrated enhanced antifungal activity against C. albicans, attributed to nanoscale particle size, improved dispersion, elemental copper bioactivity, and sustained ion release. In contrast, both composites showed limited antibacterial efficacy against S. epidermidis, suggesting that higher filler loadings may be required to overcome the Gram-positive cell wall. Importantly, dual-metal oxide fillers preserved the mechanical performance of PP. These findings establish Cu–TiO₂-PP as a promising non-antibiotic antimicrobial material for infection-resistant medical devices and biomedical surfaces.