Coating material

1. A device having an antimicrobial and non-cytotoxic coating, comprising:

a) a substrate comprising a surface, wherein:

(i) the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic,

(ii) the substrate has a form selected from the group consisting of particles and fibers, or

(iii) both option (i) and option (ii);

b) a biocide layer covering the surface, said biocide layer having a biocidal active agent in the form of single particles, chains of particles, or both, and

c) a transport control layer covering the biocide layer, having a thickness and porosity adjusted to release an antimicrobial and non-cytotoxic quantity of the biocidal active agent out of the biocide layer and through the transport control layer,

wherein the transport control layer is a plasma polymer layer and/or a sputter-applied layer and wherein the transport control layer has a silicon content of 20 to 60%, a carbon content between 10 and 30% and an oxygen content of 30 to 50%, wherein the transport control layer is hydrophilic, wherein the particles of the single particles or chains of particles have a mean particle size of 5-100 nm.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of an implant, a bone fixation screw, and a dental implant.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a form selected from the group consisting of particles and fibers.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transport control layer has a gas permeability for oxygen (O 2 ) which is in the range from 100 to 1000 (cm 3 bar)/(day m 2 ).

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transport control layer has a gas permeability for oxygen (O 2 ) which is in the range from 500 to 700 (cm 3 bar)/(day m 2 ).

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the biocidal active agent is selected from the group consisting of silver, copper and zinc, their ions and their metal complexes, or a mixture or alloy comprising two or more of said elements.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the biocide layer further comprises: gold, platinum, palladium, iridium, tin, antimony, their ions, their metal complexes, or an alloy of the biocidal active agent with one or more of said elements.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a substrate material that is selected from the group consisting of

a) an organic substrate material, selected from the group consisting of a plasma polymer, a sol-gel, a coating, and a siliconised substrate material,

b) an inorganic substrate material, selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 and SiC, a metal oxide and a non-biocidal metal, and

c) a combination thereof.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the metal oxide is TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 or a combination thereof, and wherein the non-biocidal metal is titanium, medical stainless steel, or a combination thereof.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transport control layer has a mean thickness of 5-500 nm.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of a catheter, a wound covering, an implant, a medical nail, a medical screw, a bone fixation nail, a dental implant, a medical instrument, and a sanitary product.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the biocidal active agent comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of silver, silver ions, and silver complexes.

14. A device having an antimicrobial and non-cytotoxic coating, comprising:

a) a substrate comprising a surface, wherein:

(i) the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic,

(ii) the substrate has a form selected from the group consisting of particles and fibers, or

(iii) both option (i) and option (ii);

b) a biocide layer covering the surface, said biocide layer having a biocidal active agent in the form of single particles, chains of particles, or both, and

c) a transport control layer covering the biocide layer, having a thickness and porosity adjusted to release an antimicrobial and non-cytotoxic quantity of the biocidal active agent out of the biocide layer and through the transport control layer,

wherein the transport control layer contacts the biocide layer,

wherein the transport control layer is a plasma polymer layer and/or a sputter-applied layer and wherein the transport control layer has a silicon content of 20 to 60%, a carbon content between 10 and 30% and an oxygen content of 30 to 50%, wherein the transport control layer is hydrophilic, wherein the particles of the single particles or chains of single particles have a mean particle size of 5-100 nm.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of an implant, a bone fixation screw, and a dental implant.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the substrate has a form selected from the group consisting of particles and fibers.

18. The device of claim 14 , wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of a catheter, a wound covering, an implant, a medical nail, a medical screw, a bone fixation nail, a dental implant, a medical instrument, and a sanitary product.

19. The device of claim 14 , wherein the biocidal active agent comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of silver, silver ions, and silver complexes.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises plastic.