Waterborne coatings with intrinsic antibacterial attributes have attracted significant attention due to their potential in mitigating microbial contamination while simultaneously addressing the environmental drawbacks of their solvent-based counterparts. Typically, antimicrobial coatings are designed to resist and eliminate microbial threats, encompassing challenges such as biofilm formation, fungal contamination, and proliferation of black mold. Iodine, when solubilized using ethylene glycol and incorporated as a complex into waterborne latex dispersions, has shown remarkable antimicrobial activity. Here, we demonstrate the effect of the film formation process of these iodinated latex dispersions on their antimicrobial properties. The effect of iodine on the surface morphology and mechanical, adhesion, and antimicrobial properties of the generated films was investigated. Complete integration and uniform distribution of iodine in the films were confirmed through UV–vis spectrophotometry and a laser Raman imaging system (LRIS). In terms of properties, iodinated films showed improved mechanical strength and adhesion compared with blank films. Further, the presence of iodine rendered the films rougher, making them susceptible to bacterial adhesion, but interestingly provided enhanced antibiofilm activity. Moreover, thicker films had a lower surface roughness and reduced biofilm growth. These observations are elucidated through the complex interplay among film thickness, surface morphology, and iodine properties. The insights into the interlink between the film formation process and antimicrobial properties of iodinated latex dispersions will facilitate their enhanced application as sustainable alternatives to solvent-based coatings.

中文翻译：

---

碘化乳胶分散体的成膜及其抗菌活性的作用

具有内在抗菌特性的水性涂料因其在减轻微生物污染的同时解决溶剂型涂料的环境缺陷的潜力而引起了人们的广泛关注。通常，抗菌涂层旨在抵抗和消除微生物威胁，包括生物膜形成、真菌污染和黑霉菌增殖等挑战。当使用乙二醇溶解碘并将其作为复合物掺入水性乳胶分散体中时，碘显示出显着的抗菌活性。在这里，我们展示了这些碘化乳胶分散体的成膜过程对其抗菌性能的影响。研究了碘对所生成薄膜的表面形态以及机械、粘附和抗菌性能的影响。通过紫外可见分光光度法和激光拉曼成像系统（LRIS）证实了薄膜中碘的完全整合和均匀分布。在性能方面，与空白薄膜相比，碘化薄膜表现出更高的机械强度和附着力。此外，碘的存在使薄膜变得更粗糙，使它们容易受到细菌粘附，但有趣的是，它提供了增强的抗生物膜活性。此外，较厚的膜具有较低的表面粗糙度并减少生物膜的生长。这些观察结果是通过薄膜厚度、表面形态和碘性质之间复杂的相互作用来阐明的。对碘化乳胶分散体的成膜过程和抗菌性能之间相互联系的深入了解将有助于其作为溶剂型涂料的可持续替代品的增强应用。