Towards a mechanism for nanocrystalline silver efficacy in the wound environment: structure versus size

Nanocrystalline silver, first introduced as a commercial wound dressing for burns, demonstrates excellent antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity. The purpose of this study was to determine if nanocrystalline silver dressings´ antimicrobial efficacy is due to the crystallite size (<30 nm) or its polycrystallinity, through the assessment of bactericidal activity of several materials with varying degrees of polycrystallinity.