Quaternary Ammonium Compounds and Their Composites in Antimicrobial Applications

Abstract

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are well-known for their antimicrobial properties, but their widespread use is limited due to suboptimal antimicrobial efficiency and safety concerns. Recent progress in materials science has paved the way for the development of QAC-based composites (QACCs). QACCs with diverse compositions have shown enhanced antimicrobial effectiveness and biosafety for various applications, such as food packaging, capacitive deionization, and household antimicrobials. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the synthesis approaches and different types of QACCs. Moreover, this review examines their antimicrobial applications, taking the underlying structure-activity relationship into consideration. In addition, this perspectives are presented on the remaining challenges and future research directions for the further development of QACCs. It is expected that this review will provide a valuable reference for the design of next generation QACC-based antimicrobial agents.