Antifungal ActivityA. niger was selected to challenge the antifungal activityof PUT films, since it was reported to be the most commonfungus that contaminated PU synthetic leather coating [4].The growth of A. niger on various PUT films in 14 days wasshown in Figure 1. It was found that the A. niger sporesbegun to appear on both PUT-0.00 and PUT-0.25 on the 3rdday after inoculation. Then, the spores spread gradually, andoccupied the whole sample surface at the end of the test.This indicated that with low nano-TiO 2 concentration, thePUT film exhibited negligible antifungal activity against A.niger. Although spore contamination on PUT-0.50 stilloccurred, it was delayed to the 9th day after inoculation.This delay demonstrated that with 0.50 wt% nano-TiO 2concentration, the PUT film showed improved, but stilllimited antifungal activity against A. niger. As for PUT-0.75and PUT-1.00 however, no spores (even filamentousmycelium) were observed on sample surfaces throughout thetest. This suggested that when the nano-TiO 2 concentrationincreased up to ≥0.75 wt%, the antifungal activity of PUTfilm could be ranked as excellent. Evidently, the antifungalactivity of PUT films greatly depended on the nano-TiO 2concentration, which was in good agreement with theantibacterial results.The antifungal results of PUT synthetic leather against A.niger, measured by ASTM G 21-96, were illustrated inFigure 2. For better comparison, the PUT-0.00 as controlwas placed in the same agar plate with other samples. At theend of the test that lasted for 28 days, A. niger spores werefound to have contaminated the surfaces of PUT-0.00, PUT-0.25, and PUT-0.50. However, no traces of filamentousmycelium or spore growth were observed on PUT-0.75 andPUT-1.00, which was confirmed with the aid of microscope.According to the evaluation criteria defined by ASTM G 21-96, it could be concluded that with nano-TiO 2 concentration≥0.75 wt%, the PUT synthetic leather coating exhibitedexcellent antifungal activity to A. niger.The origin of the above antimicrobial activity wasascribed to the well-known photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 .Briefly, when exposed to ultraviolet light (λ
Antifungal Activity<BR>A. niger was selected to challenge the antifungal activity<BR>of PUT films, since it was reported to be the most common<BR>fungus that contaminated PU synthetic leather coating [4].<BR>The growth of A. niger on various PUT films in 14 days was<BR>shown in Figure 1. It was found that the A. niger spores<BR>begun to appear on both PUT-0.00 and PUT-0.25 on the 3rd<BR>day after inoculation. Then, the spores spread gradually, and<BR>occupied the whole sample surface at the end of the test.<BR>This indicated that with low nano-TiO 2 concentration, the<BR>PUT film exhibited negligible antifungal activity against A.<BR>niger. Although spore contamination on PUT-0.50 still<BR>occurred, it was delayed to the 9th day after inoculation.<BR>This delay demonstrated that with 0.50 wt% nano-TiO 2<BR>concentration, the PUT film showed improved, but still<BR>limited antifungal activity against A. niger. As for PUT-0.75<BR>and PUT-1.00 however, no spores (even filamentous<BR>mycelium) were observed on sample surfaces throughout the<BR>test. This suggested that when the nano-TiO 2 concentration<BR>increased up to ≥0.75 wt%, the antifungal activity of PUT<BR>film could be ranked as excellent. Evidently, the antifungal<BR>activity of PUT films greatly depended on the nano-TiO 2<BR>concentration, which was in good agreement with the<BR>antibacterial results.<BR>The antifungal results of PUT synthetic leather against A.<BR>niger, measured by ASTM G 21-96, were illustrated in<BR>Figure 2. For better comparison, the PUT-0.00 as control<BR>was placed in the same agar plate with other samples. At the<BR>end of the test that lasted for 28 days, A. niger spores were<BR>found to have contaminated the surfaces of PUT-0.00, PUT-<BR>0.25, and PUT-0.50. However, no traces of filamentous<BR>mycelium or spore growth were observed on PUT-0.75 and<BR>PUT-1.00, which was confirmed with the aid of microscope.<BR>According to the evaluation criteria defined by ASTM G 21-<BR>96, it could be concluded that with nano-TiO 2 concentration<BR>≥0.75 wt%, the PUT synthetic leather coating exhibited<BR>excellent antifungal activity to A. niger.<BR>The origin of the above antimicrobial activity was<BR>ascribed to the well-known photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 .<BR>Briefly, when exposed to ultraviolet light (λ
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