SBIR Phase I: Durable Nano-Coatings with MoSi2 for Antibacterial High Wear Use

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) nanoparticle coating with antibacterial properties that are comparable to those imparted by silver nanoparticles, but with significant lower cost. The approach is to deposit and optimize MoSi2 nanoparticles coating on substrates such as 316L stainless steel and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Antibacterial, wear and erosion performance of the coating will be studied. The broader/commercial impacts of this project will be the potential to provide low-cost solutions to meet the demands in antibacterial applications. Given the problems of bacterial infections in society, the development of cost-effective antibacterial films on metallic and polymeric substrates that are significantly cheaper than current technologies could potentially be disruptive and would have broad applications in health care, food preparation and delivery, residence such as home kitchens and the transportation sectors.