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Anodization as a scalable nanofabrication method to engineer mechanobactericidal nanostructures on complex geometries
Anindo Roy1, Sravan Reddy Kolipyak1, Kaushik Chatterjee1
1Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, CV Raman Road, Bengaluru, 560012, India.
Chemistry, an Asian Journal
|February 25, 2024
Summary
Nanostructured titania nanotubes (TNTs) offer a scalable, cost-effective solution against drug-resistant bacteria on implant surfaces. These mechanobactericidal surfaces disrupt bacterial cells using physical forces, reducing metabolic activity and improving implant longevity.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Bacterial contamination on implant surfaces is a major cause of implant failure, worsened by antibiotic resistance.
- Mechanobactericidal surfaces offer a promising alternative to antibiotics by using physical forces to kill bacteria.
- Titania nanotubes (TNTs) are a potential material for creating such surfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the mechanobactericidal activity of TNTs prepared by anodization.
- To investigate bacterial behavior on different TNT topographies and 3D geometries.
- To assess the durability of TNT surfaces against bacterial and environmental forces.
Main Methods:
- Anodization to fabricate TNTs with varying topographies.
- Culturing Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria on TNT surfaces.
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for visualizing bacterial cell wall deformation.
- Nanoindentation to test surface durability.
Main Results:
- Lower metabolic activity observed in bacteria on TNT surfaces, indicating disrupted intracellular processes.
- Distinct differences in cell wall deformation between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were observed.
- TNT surfaces demonstrated durability against daily life forces and minimal deformation under bacterial pressure.
Conclusions:
- Anodization is a scalable and cost-effective method for producing mechanobactericidal TNT surfaces.
- These surfaces show significant potential for preventing bacterial contamination on implants and medical devices.
- The findings support the use of TNTs in healthcare settings to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
