Surface Modification Strategies to Control the Nanomaterial–Microbe Interplay

Nanomaterials (NMs) possess versatile mechanical and physicochemical properties that render them suitable for a wide range of applications, including medicine, agriculture, sensing, and cosmetics, to name a few. The NM–microbe complex formation is studied with the focus on antimicrobial activity of NMs. The NM–microbe complex formation is also exploited for diagnostic applications. Here, we look at various surface modifications of NMs that can effectively impart potent antimicrobial activity to the material by controlling the NM–microbe interaction. We will also discuss various analytical techniques to characterize the interaction between NMs and microbes.