Extremely durable biofouling-resistant metallic surfaces based on electrodeposited nanoporous tungstite films on steel

Formation of unwanted deposits on steels during their interaction with liquids is an inherent problem that often leads to corrosion, biofouling and results in reduction in durability and function. Here we report a new route to form anti-fouling steel surfaces by electrodeposition of nanoporous tungsten oxide (TO) films. TO-modified steels are as mechanically durable as bare steel and highly tolerant to compressive and tensile stresses due to chemical bonding to the substrate and island-like morphology. When inherently superhydrophilic TO coatings are converted to superhydrophobic, they remain non-wetting even after impingement with yttria-stabilized-zirconia particles, or exposure to ultraviolet light and extreme temperatures. Upon lubrication, these surfaces display omniphobicity against highly contaminating media retaining hitherto unseen mechanical durability. To illustrate the applicability of such a durable coating in biofouling conditions, we modified naval construction steels and surgical instruments and demonstrated significantly reduced marine algal film adhesion, Escherichia coli attachment and blood staining

Liquid-Infused Silicone As a Biofouling-Free Medical Material

There is a dire need for infection prevention strategies that do not require the use of antibiotics, which exacer- bate the rise of multi- and pan-drug resistant infectious organisms. An important target in this area is the bacterial attach- ment and subsequent biofilm formation on medical devices (e.g., catheters). Here we describe non-fouling, lubricant-infused slippery polymers as proof-of-concept medical materials that are based on oil–infused polydimethylsiloxane (iPDMS). Pla- nar and tubular geometry silicone substrates can be infused with non-toxic silicone oil to create a stable, extremely slippery interface that exhibits exceptionally low bacterial adhesion and prevents biofilm formation. Analysis of a flow culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa through untreated PDMS and iPDMS tubing shows at least an order of magnitude reduction of bio- film formation on iPDMS, and almost complete absence of biofilm on iPDMS after a gentle water rinse. The iPDMS materials can be applied as a coating on other polymers or prepared as simply as taking a silicone tubing and immersing it in a sili- cone oil, and are compatible with traditional sterilization methods. As a demonstration, we show the preparation of sili- cone-coated polyurethane catheters and significant reduction of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation on the catheter surface. This work represents an important first step towards a simple and effective means of preventing bacterial adhesion on a wide range of materials used for medical devices.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

Liquid-Infused Silicone As a Biofouling-Free Medical Material

There is a dire need for infection prevention strategies that do not require the use of antibiotics, which exacerbate the rise of multi- and pan-drug resistant infectious organisms. An important target in this area is the bacterial attachment and subsequent biofilm formation on medical devices (e.g., catheters). Here we describe nonfouling, lubricant-infused slippery polymers as proof-of-concept medical materials that are based on oil-infused polydimethylsiloxane (iPDMS). Planar and tubular geometry silicone substrates can be infused with nontoxic silicone oil to create a stable, extremely slippery interface that exhibits exceptionally low bacterial adhesion and prevents biofilm formation. Analysis of a flow culture of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> through untreated PDMS and iPDMS tubing shows at least an order of magnitude reduction of biofilm formation on iPDMS, and almost complete absence of biofilm on iPDMS after a gentle water rinse. The iPDMS materials can be applied as a coating on other polymers or prepared by simply immersing silicone tubing in silicone oil, and are compatible with traditional sterilization methods. As a demonstration, we show the preparation of silicone-coated polyurethane catheters and significant reduction of <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> biofilm formation on the catheter surface. This work represents an important first step toward a simple and effective means of preventing bacterial adhesion on a wide range of materials used for medical devices