Correlating the physico-chemical properties of two conventional glazed porcelain stoneware tiles in relation to cleanability and sanitization

Erika Iveth Cedillo-González; Paolo Chierici; Marta Buttazzo; Cristina Siligardi; Elisabetta Blasi; Andrea Ardizzoni

doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2022.105191

Correlating the physico-chemical properties of two conventional glazed porcelain stoneware tiles in relation to cleanability and sanitization

Mater Today Commun. 2023 Mar:34:105191. doi: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2022.105191. Epub 2022 Dec 17.

Authors

Erika Iveth Cedillo-González^{1

2}, Paolo Chierici³, Marta Buttazzo⁴, Cristina Siligardi^{1

2}, Elisabetta Blasi³, Andrea Ardizzoni³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Engineering "Enzo Ferrari", University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10/1, Modena 41125, Italy.
² National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Via G. Giusti 9, Florence 50121, Italy.
³ Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with interest in Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy.
⁴ SMALTICERAM UNICER S.p.A., Via della Repubblica 10/12, 42014 Roteglia, RE, Italy.

Abstract

Keeping surfaces clean can reduce the spread of infections. In particular, to decrease the potential for SARS CoV-2 contamination, performing disinfection of high-touching surfaces. Several ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware tiles with antimicrobial properties are already available on the market. However, the widespread use of antimicrobial glazed stoneware tiles may require to replace the ceramic surfaces already present in many buildings. The unfeasibility of such replacement can be due to both product durability (lifetime of a tile is usually long) and/or monetary restrictions. Furthermore, as porcelain stoneware per se does not have antimicrobial activity, these materials are fabricated by adding chemical agents able to provide antimicrobial properties. This approach requires a compatibility between the antimicrobial agents and the glaze formulation, as well as a careful control of the firing cycle and the final properties of the ceramic products. It follows that the final cost of antimicrobial tiles is not competitive with that of conventional tiles. In the latter, the persistence of potential pathogens on the surfaces is a crucial problem to face: the longer a pathogen survives on a surface, the longer it may be a source of transmission and thus endanger susceptible subjects. In this work, bacteria's capacity to adhere and to be effectively removed from two conventional glazed porcelain stoneware tiles (under dirty and clean conditions) was investigated. Two different glazes were tested, one mainly glassy (glossy) and the other mainly crystalline (matt). The sanitization procedures were carried out by chemical and chemo-mechanical procedures. The results showed that chemo-mechanical sanitization was the most effective, and the best results could be obtained on the stoneware tiles coated with the mainly glassy glaze, with the lowest porosity and the lower roughness values and water contact angles, especially under clean conditions.

Keywords: Antimicrobial surfaces; Bacteria; Ceramic glaze; Glass; Glass-ceramic; Sanitization.