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Updated: Dec 3, 2025

High-throughput Identification of Bacteria Repellent Polymers for Medical Devices
Published on: November 5, 2016
Polymeric Coatings with Antimicrobial Activity: A Short Review
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, CEMMPRE, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
The actual situation of microorganisms resistant to antibiotics and pandemics caused by a virus makes research in the area of antimicrobial and antiviral materials and surfaces more urgent than ever. Several strategies can be pursued to attain such properties using different classes of materials. This review focuses on polymeric materials that are applied as coatings onto pre-existing components/parts mainly to inhibit microbial activity, but polymer surfaces with biocidal properties can be reported. Among the several approaches that can be done when addressing polymeric coatings, this review will be divided in two: antimicrobial activities due to the topographic cues, and one based on the chemistry of the surface. Some future perspectives on this topic will be given together with the conclusions of the literature survey.
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