Antimicrobial Activity of MgB₂ Powders Produced via Reactive Liquid Infiltration Method

• Main Authors: Santanu Kumar Padhi, Nicoletta Baglieri, Valentina Bonino, Angelo Agostino, Lorenza Operti, Nicolae Dan Batalu, Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc, Marcela Popa, Mihail Burdusel, Mihai Alexandru Grigoroscuta, Gheorghe Virgil Aldica, Dana Radu, Petre Badica, Marco Truccato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: MgB₂; reactive liquid infiltration method; antimicrobial activity; biofilms
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/16/4966
• ISSN: 1420-3049

We report for the first time on the antimicrobial activity of MgB₂ powders produced via the Reactive Liquid Infiltration (RLI) process. Samples with MgB₂ wt.% ranging from 2% to 99% were obtained and characterized, observing different levels of grain aggregation and of impurity phases. Their antimicrobial activity was tested against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> ATCC BAA 1026, <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> ATCC 29212, <i>Escherichia coli</i> ATCC 25922, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> ATCC 27853, and <i>Candida albicans</i> ATCC 10231. A general correlation is observed between the antibacterial activity and the MgB₂ wt.%, but the sample microstructure also appears to be very important. RLI-MgB₂ powders show better performances compared to commercial powders against microbial strains in the planktonic form, and their activity against biofilms is also very similar.