Download DocMASE Project Proposal 2015‐01 Characterization and design of oxide layers on copper alloys for

ProjectTitle
MainUniversityand
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SecondUniversity
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ProjectDescription
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DocMASEProjectProposal2015‐01
Characterization and design of oxide layers on copper alloys for
antimicrobial purposes
SaarlandUniversity(Germany)
Prof.FrankMücklich
UniversityofLorraine(France)
Ass.Prof.DavidHorwat
Theantimicrobialeffectofcopperanditsalloysiswellknown,althoughthespecific
toxicitymechanismsandtheirrelationtomaterialandsurfacepropertiesstill
remainsunclear[1].Numerousfieldstudieshaveproventhepotentialofcopper
alloystoreducethenosocomialinfectionrateinhospitals.Recentstudiessuggest
thattheformationofCu2OorCuOplaysa
majorandalsodifferentroleinthekilling
processofbacteria[2].Cu2Oisoneofthe
mainoxidationproductsoncopperalloys
inrepeatedcontactwithskinunder
atmosphericconditions[3].Tounderstand
thegoverningmaterialpropertiesfora
longtermeffective,antimicrobialcopper
alloy,itisthusmandatorytoinvestigate,
howotheroxidesformedonthesealloys
(e.g.zinc,tin,aluminaoxides)interact,
influenceorevenpassivateantimicrobial
copperoxides.
Theproposedprojectcanbedividedintothefollowingsegments:
‐Characterizationofoxidelayerson“contactkilling”copperalloysinuseby
metallurgicalmeansandSEM,FIBandEDXtechniques(UdS)
‐Generationandcharacterizationofpureandwelldefinedmodelsurfacesconsisting
ofCu,Zn,Sn,Alandtheiroxidesviareactivesputteringprocesses(UL)
‐Correlationofmodel‐andrealoxidelayerstructurestocopperionreleaseand
actualantimicrobialefficiency(wetplatingassayswithbacteria,UdS)
‐Basedanddependingonthefindings:propositionand/ordesignofalongterm
efficientandstablecopperalloy(surface)optimizedforantimicrobialusein
atmosphericenvironment.(UdS)
PreviousPublications Mathews,S.;Hans,M.;Mücklich,F.;Solioz,M.ContactKillingofBacteriaonCopperIs
SuppressedIfBacterial‐MetalContactIsPreventedandIsInducedonIronbyCopper
Ions.Appl.Environ.Microbiol.2013,79,2605–11
[3]Hans,M.;Erbe,A.;Mathews,S.;Chen,Y.;Solioz,M.;Mücklich,F.RoleofCopper
OxidesinContactKillingofBacteria.Langmuir 29 (2013) 16160-16166.
References
[1]Grass,G.;Rensing,C.;Solioz,M.MetallicCopperasanAntimicrobialSurface.Appl.
Environ.Microbiol.2011,77,1541–7
[2]Fredj,N.;Kolar,J.S.;Prichard,D.M.;Burleigh,T.D.StudyofRelativeColorStability
andCorrosionResistanceofCommercialCopperAlloysExposedtoHandContactand
SyntheticHandSweat.CorrosionSci.2013,76,415–423
Requirementsofthe
VerygoodlevelofEnglish
candidates/
GoodknowledgeofGermanispreferred
Requirementsduring
Responsibledesignandconductionofexperiments
thedoctoral
programme(courses, Dedicatedandindependentworkingattitude
MasterinMaterialsScience(orcloselyrelateddisciplines)
seminars,etc.)
Knowledgeof/experienceswithMicrobiologyarepreferred.
30ECTSmustbeenacquiredduringtheprogramaccordingtotheminimum
requirementsofDocMASE.