A Universal Method to Render Diverse Surfaces Antimicrobial

Microbial contamination, which is unavoidable inside any manned closed habitat, is a hazard of all human space flights. While microorganisms can be beneficial in the recycling of solids and waste water, they also can have detrimental effects if allowed to flourish unchecked (e.g., infection of the crew, degradation of materials, enhancement of corrosion, food contamination and spoilage, food crop damage, and contamination of water recovery systems). We propose to develop a novel, environmentally benign, antimicrobial surface modification. The modified surfaces will kill bacteria on contact, will be effective wet or dry, will be effective long-term, and will not need any additional care to maintain thin biocidal properties. The proposed surface modification can be applied to complex shapes; to either, or both, the inner and outer surfaces of those shapes; and to a variety of common plastics and fabrics.