An Overview for the Design of Antimicrobial Polymers: From Standard Antibiotic-Release Systems to Topographical and Smart Materials

Abstract

Microorganisms attach on all kinds of surfaces, spreading pathogens that affect human health and alter the properties of products and of the surface itself. These issues motivated the design of a broad set of antimicrobial polymers that have great versatility to be chemically modified, processed, and mixed with other compounds. This review presents an overview of these different strategies, including antimicrobial-release systems and inherently antimicrobial polymers, alongside novel approaches such as smart materials and topographical effects. These polymers can be used in any application affected by microbes, from biomaterials and coatings to food packaging.