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Racing for the Surface pp 207–222Cite as

Carbon Nanotubes: Their Antimicrobial Properties and Applications in Bone Tissue Regeneration

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Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess unique physicochemical properties that are suitable for a variety of uses in manufacturing, environmental, and biomedical applications, as well as in the food and agriculture industries. The uses and manufacturing of CNTs are increasing due to advances in the large-scale production of CNTs and the development of various CNT-added composites. The antimicrobial activities and potential applications of CNTs and CNT-based materials as antimicrobials have recently attracted great interest. In this mini review, we first introduce the commonly seen nanotechnology-based antimicrobial materials, especially carbon-based nanomaterials such as CNTs, fullerenes, and graphene. Next, the history of the antimicrobial studies of CNTs is briefly described, followed by an overview of CNT toxicity. The antimicrobial properties of single-walled and multi-walled CNTs and the antimicrobial mechanisms of CNTs are summarized and discussed. The future challenges and potential applications of CNTs in bone tissue engineering and antimicrobial applications are provided.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program, Discovery Awards under Award Nos. W81XWH1710603 and W81XWH1810203. We also acknowledge the financial support from WVU PSCoR and WVCTSI. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the funding agencies. We thank Suzanne Danley for proofreading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China

    Pei Wang

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Malcolm Xing

  3. Nanomedicine Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Bingyun Li

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  1. Pei Wang
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  2. Malcolm Xing
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  3. Bingyun Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bingyun Li .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Bingyun Li

  2. AO Research Institute Davos, Davos Platz, Graubünden, Switzerland

    Thomas Fintan Moriarty

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Thomas Webster

  4. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Malcolm Xing

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Wang, P., Xing, M., Li, B. (2020). Carbon Nanotubes: Their Antimicrobial Properties and Applications in Bone Tissue Regeneration. In: Li, B., Moriarty, T., Webster, T., Xing, M. (eds) Racing for the Surface. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34471-9_9

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