The silver ions of silver net are non-migratory. When Silver net was tested for zone of inhibition, there were no inhibitions of growth around the sample but only under the sample. This means that silver ions do not leach from the pad and act only at the pad surface when they come in contact with microorganisms.
Once wound fluid come in contact with the silver net, the silver is activated, and acts on the microbial cell by the following mechanisms:

- Damage to bacterial cell membrane, could lead to the leakage of cytoplasmfrom the cell, which would result in dehydrated and shrunken cells.
- Silver atoms bind to thiol groups (-SH) in enzymes, and subsequently,cause the deactivation of enzymes.
- Silver associates with DNA once they enter the cell, thus preventing bacterial cell replication.