Embodiments of antimicrobial materials are provided. In one or more embodiments, the antimicrobial materials include an inorganic substrate including a surface portion surrounding an internal portion and an antimicrobial agent disposed on any one or more of the surface portion and the internal portion. In some embodiments, the inorganic substrate included alkali and at least a portion of the alkali is present on the surface portion. In another embodiment the antimicrobial agent is infused into the substrate. In some instances, non- alkali components present in the substrate are replaced with the antimicrobial agent. In some embodiments, anions in the substrate are replaced with the antimicrobial agent. Compositions including the antimicrobial materials are disclosed and methods for making the antimicrobial materials and compositions are also provided.
