Silver oxide decorated urchin-like microporous organic polymer composites as versatile antibacterial organic coating materials

Abstract

Microporous organic polymers (MOPs) and metal oxide hybrid composites are considered valuable coating materials because of their versatility derived from the synergistic combination of MOPs’ inherent dispersibility and the distinctive properties of metal oxides. In this study, we present the synthesis of sea-urchin-like MOPs hybridised with silver oxide nanoparticles (Ag₂O NPs) to fabricate antibacterial composites suitable for potential antibacterial coating applications. Ag₂O NP-decorated urchin-like MOPs (Ag₂O@UMOPs) were synthesised by employing a combination of two methods: a one-pot Lewis acid–base interaction-mediated self-assembly and a straightforward impregnation process. The as-prepared Ag₂O@UMOPs demonstrated high antibacterial efficacy against both E. coli (G−) and S. aureus (G+). The antibacterial mechanism of Ag₂O@UMOPs mainly involved the synergistic effects of accumulation of Ag₂O@UMOPs, the release of Ag⁺ ions, and the generation of reactive oxygen species. The exceptional processability and biosafety of Ag₂O@UMOPs make them ideal organic coating materials for convenient application on various substrates. These remarkable features of Ag₂O@UMOPs provide an effective platform for potential antibacterial applications in biological sciences.