An innovative process chain for the production of antibiofouling polymer parts using ultrafast laser texturing
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Polymers are versatile materials widely used in various industries, with significant applications in biomedicine where biofouling on polymer surfaces presents major health and economic challenges. Biofouling, initiated by bacterial adhesion, can be mitigated by modifying surface properties through laser micro- and nano-texturing, an approach that offers advantages over chemical treatments. This study introduces an economical mass production process for textured polymeric components using injection molding to replicate hierarchical textures. Testing revealed that all textured samples significantly reduced bacterial adhesion compared to untextured surfaces across different designs and bacteria types after 24 h of culture. The study examined factors like wettability, nanoscale roughness, and pattern dimensions to explain these outcomes, comparing them with existing studies. Despite all textured samples showing decreased wettability and roughness, these factors alone did not ensure reduced bacterial adhesion. The most effective anti-adhesive performance was observed in surfaces with parallel ridge patterns, which segmented the surface into isolated areas that limited bacterial interaction and hindered micro-colony formation, highlighting the importance of specific surface patterning in combating biofouling.
Institutions: University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University of Padua
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,790
Award: G5906340314
OpenAlex ID: W4402325056