Abstract:

Incorporating antibacterial agent into biomimetic coating inspired by natural organisms with micro-nano structure surface has generated more interest for antifouling applications. In this work, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based triblock copolymers and sub-20 nm nanoparticles Ag and heterogeneous Fe₃O₄-coated Ag (Fe₃O₄@Ag) were used to construct microphase separation topography with oriented copolymer blocks structure. The artificial surface was verified by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images. Meanwhile, the surface exhibited relative stable hydrophobic property, which was demonstrated by the water contact angle and dynamic air-bubble contact angle measurements. Consequently, after immersed in BSA solution 24 h and 720 h, the actual BSA absorption amount of the surface with Fe₃O₄@Ag nanoparticles was as low as 10 % and 27 % that of the initial BSA amount, respectively. Moreover, the surface also showed remarkable antibacterial performance, which effectively suppressed the growth rate of Escherichia coli. The strategy of constructing the flexible microphase separation structure by introducing heterogeneous inorganic antibacterial nanoparticles into a block copolymer substrate opens up a new way to create an antifouling surface coating.

Key words: Microphase separation topography, Ultra-fine nanoparticles, Antifouling surfaces, Antibacterial performance