Rose Petal Mimetic Surfaces with Antibacterial Properties Produced Using Nanoimprint Lithography

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Surface Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) is a versatile polymer with potential applications in biomedical fields.
• Developing novel antibacterial surfaces is crucial for preventing device-associated infections.
• Bioinspired surface structures offer a promising strategy for imparting unique material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create bioinspired micro/nanotopography on PVDF-HFP films.
• To investigate the antibacterial efficacy of these modified films against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
• To evaluate the synergistic effect of topographical features and ZnO nanostructures on antibacterial performance.

Main Methods:

• Replication of rose petal surface structures onto PVDF-HFP films.
• Hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures on the patterned PVDF-HFP surface.
• Antibacterial assays using Streptococcus agalactiae (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative).

Main Results:

• PVDF-HFP films with rose petal mimetic structures exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity compared to neat films.
• The combination of rose petal topography and ZnO nanostructures further significantly boosted antibacterial performance.
• The fabricated surfaces demonstrated effectiveness against both tested bacterial species.

Conclusions:

• Bioinspired surface engineering of PVDF-HFP films can yield effective antibacterial materials.
• The synergistic effect of topographical patterns and ZnO nanostructures presents a promising approach for advanced antibacterial surfaces.
• These findings suggest potential applications in preventing bacterial colonization in various settings.