I just read that tiny spikes of stainless steel kill bacteria
[link]
I think microcrystalline cellulose that is like a koosh ball
will have many tiny points that kill bacteria.
This could be used in consumer products, possibly
antiperspirants to kill bacteria, thus reducing odor.
Another
possibility is to create a chemically harmless
form
of wet wipes with pointy cellulose to wipe things off
with.
Originally I thought that wooden cutting boards killed
bacteria with microslivers but could not find a reference.
I
did find a reference that this works with stainless steel,
so
might work with microcrystalline cellulose.
If it needs to be metal, perhaps some dispersion, similar
to
laundry blueing (Iron), or the stainless steel equivalent
of blueing could be cheap yet
sufficiently pointy.
Another possibility is to make the little pointy things out
of a nutrient metal like Mg or Zn besides Fe or
microcrystalline cellulose. Some antiperspirants already
have Al as an ingredient.