Advanced Antimicrobial Nanomaterials for Infection Microenvironments, Antimicrobial Packaging, and Coatings: Chemistry, Materials Science, and Multifunctional Design

Bacterial infections and the associated biofilm challenges are pervasive across medical, industrial, and environmental contexts, including wounds, implants, food packaging, and coatings for public infrastructure. In complex real-world environments, the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics and traditional antimicrobial strategies is often compromised due to bacterial resistance, biofilm protection, and environmental constraints. Recent advances in chemical synthesis and nanomaterial design have established a strong foundation for developing efficient, long-lasting, and adaptable antimicrobial materials. These materials exhibit superior physicochemical tunability that allows customization for diverse application scenarios, emphasizing the convergence between chemistry, materials science, and functional design. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in achieving consistent long-term antimicrobial performance, biocompatibility, and scalable fabrication.This Research Topic aims to advance the development and application of antimicrobial nanomaterials designed for infection microenvironments, antimicrobial packaging, and protective coatings. It seeks to deepen understanding of the fundamental relationships between compositional design, structural organization, and antimicrobial mechanisms. Particular focus will be given to materials that can modulate reactive oxygen species generation, ion release kinetics, and surface interactions to achieve effective bacterial eradication and biofilm inhibition. Additionally, this topic endeavors to address emerging design strategies for stimuli-responsive systems capable of controlled antimicrobial release under infection conditions. The goal is to bridge the gap between material innovation and translational applications by integrating chemical engineering principles with biomedical and environmental demands.The scope of this Research Topic covers interdisciplinary studies at the interface of chemistry, materials science, and bioengineering, welcoming both fundamental and application-oriented contributions. To gather further insights into infection-responsive and multifunctional antimicrobial systems, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Novel chemical synthesis routes for antimicrobial polymers and nanomaterials• Antimicrobial nanocomposites for food packaging films, including barrier and release properties• Antimicrobial coatings (including anti-biofilm coatings) for medical devices and industrial equipment• Antimicrobial nanoplatforms targeting infection microenvironments (e.g., implant-associated infections)• Interaction mechanisms at the nanomaterial–bacteria interface and strategies to address antimicrobial resistance• Multifunctional antimicrobial nanomaterials with combined antimicrobial, antifouling, or self-healing properties• Biocompatibility, environmental safety, and translational prospects of antimicrobial nanomaterials Topic editors: Yunfeng Qiu, Ayang Zhao, Hao Wang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80420/advanced-antimicrobial-nanomaterials-for-infection-microenvironments-antimicrobial-packaging-and-coatings-chemistry-materials-science-and-multifunctional-design