Sustainable antibacterial performance in cementitious systems using Ag-modified TiO₂ compounds

Abstract

The increasing focus on health and hygiene has expanded the need for protective measures on material surfaces. In this regard, developing antibacterial concrete and mortar capable of eliminating viruses and bacteria is crucial. However, a key challenge in cementitious systems is the inability to maintain long-term antibacterial effectiveness when titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is used as the sole photocatalyst. To address this limitation, this study aimed to enhance the antibacterial properties of TiO₂ by modifying it with silver (Ag) using a planetary ball mill. Concrete and mortar samples incorporating the modified material were produced, and their antibacterial performance was evaluated over both short and long durations. So the originality of this study was to evaluate the performance of cementitious system surfaces against repeated bacterial attacks using a specific mechanical alloying method in the modification of TiO₂ with Ag. Additionally, the modified products were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) imaging, grain size analysis, and band gap energy measurements. The impact of the components on antibacterial efficiency was statistically analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results demonstrated that Ag-containing samples achieved a 100% bacterial killing rate in all experimental replicates. These findings confirm that Ag-TiO₂ alloying was successfully achieved via planetary ball milling, providing concrete with sustained antibacterial properties in both early and long-term applications.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

concrete / mortar / titanium dioxide / silver / antibacterial performance

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