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Antimicrobial Characterization of Advanced Materials for Bioengineering Applications
Published on: August 4, 2018
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Tailoring nitric oxide release with additive manufacturing to create antimicrobial surfaces
Manjyot Kaur Chug1, Emilio Bachtiar2, Nicholas Narwold3
1School of Chemical, Materials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. ejbrisbois@uga.edu.
Biomaterials Science
|March 10, 2021
Summary
This study developed 3D-printed, nitric oxide (NO)-releasing polymer films that significantly reduce bacterial adhesion, offering a promising solution for infection prevention in medical devices.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Medical Device Engineering
Background:
- Implantable and indwelling medical devices are susceptible to microbial colonization, leading to serious infections.
- Developing novel antimicrobial materials is crucial for enhancing the safety and efficacy of medical devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create customizable, bioactive polymer interfaces that prevent bacterial infections.
- To integrate additive manufacturing with nitric oxide (NO) releasing capabilities for antimicrobial medical applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of polycarbonateurethane-silicone (PCU-Sil) films with varying porosities using filament-based additive manufacturing.
- Impregnation of films with S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) via solvent-swelling to enable nitric oxide (NO) release.
- Characterization of SNAP loading, distribution, and NO release kinetics; evaluation of antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus.
Main Results:
- Porous films (Disk-60) exhibited the highest SNAP loading (19.59 wt%).
- Tunable nitric oxide (NO) release was observed for 7-14 days across different film structures.
- All NO-releasing films demonstrated >99% reduction in viable bacteria compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Additive manufacturing combined with NO-releasing polymers offers a versatile platform for creating customized antimicrobial medical devices.
- This approach enhances biocompatibility and provides sustained antimicrobial properties, reducing infection risks.
- The developed NO-releasing films show significant potential for applications like 3D-scaffolds and catheters.
