In our second GOpublications article we look at how researchers at King's College London have utilised William Blythe's GO to create a novel disinfectant irrigant for root canal treatment. In this study GO was combined with silver nanoparticles to create a composite matrix which sees GO's structural features successfully leveraged to harness antimicrobial action.
Essentially, the composite material was made and tested on an ex vivo biofilm covered tooth model and its antimicrobial effects observed. Different activation methods and irrigants were trialled alongside the Ag-GO composite to understand and measure its antimicrobial properties.
The researchers stated that this application exploits two main structural features of GO. Firstly, the oxygen-containing functional groups, which both anchors the silver ions within the matrix, and secondly, the sharp edged sheets which act as bacterial membrane cutters, resulting in cell death.
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