Development of smart switchable surfaces to solve the inevitable bacteria attachment and colonization have attracted plenty of attentions, however, it proves very challenging to achieve on-demand regeneration for non-contaminated surfaces. We develop a series of stimuli-responsive antibacterial surfaces via host-guest interaction assembly, catechol structural adhesion, as well as electrostatic interaction, topologically combining stimuli-responsive polymers upon target surfaces. From the point view of structural design, the peculiar hydration layer generated by hydrophilic segments severs the route of initial bacterial attachment and subsequent proliferation, while the synergistic effect on chain conformation transformation and peculiar antimicrobial groups greatly promotes the on-demand bacterial release in response to the external factors switch. These resultant surfaces exhibit triple successive antimicrobial functions simultaneously: (i) resist ~85% of initial bacterial attachment, (ii) kill ~90% of inevitable bacteria attack, and (iii) release over 95% of killed bacteria even after several cycles. These results not only present potential and promising strategies to develop renewable antibacterial surfaces with successive antimicrobial functions, but also contribute several new antimicrobial platforms for biomedical or surgical applications.

Mussel-inspired polymeric coatings with single/dual/multiple antimicrobial and antifouling functions

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.