Surface modification of medical-grade polyurethane by cyanurchloride-activated tetraether lipid (a new approach for...

The surface of high-grade medical polyurethane was chemically modified and coated with tetraether lipid, employing cyanurchloride as coupling agent. The surfaces were initially grafted with hexamethylene diisocyanate and subsequently treated with water or hexamethylene diamine to generate free amino groups on the surface. This provides a convenient way for covalent coupling of tetraether lipids. These lipid-coated surfaces were investigated for bacterial adhesion using Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All lipid-coated surfaces significantly reduced bacterial adhesion. Surface topology and individual modification steps were controlled by contact angle measurements, attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and environmental scanning electron microscopy. This new surface modification approach may reduce the adhesion of bacteria on biomaterials.