Qianqian Cui
Dalian University of Technology, China
Title: Fabrication of thermo-responsive surfaces with nanocone array
Biography
Biography: Qianqian Cui
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: The bacterial adhesion to the solid surfaces and subsequent formation of biofilm are greatly harmful for the efficiency of material application and related processes. It is of important significance for protecting the environment and life health to study the formation mechanism of biofilm and the way of preventing the formation of biofilm. At present, we are working on fabricating the thermo-responsive material surfaces with nanocone array to regulate the bacterial adhesion and prevent biofilm formation, i.e. Bacterial cells are penetrated and killed by nanocone structures and thermo-responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) detaches and releases the dead cells and debrises through the change of temperature.
Method & Technology: We have prepared hexagonally packed ordered alumina inverse taper-nanopores by using one-step hard anodizing and etching peeling of high purity aluminum foils followed by multistep mild anodizing and etching pore-widening. Then adopting template-based hot embossing copies the shapes of anodic aluminum oxide template onto the polymer surfaces on which the nononipple structures can be attained. These nononipples were transformed to nanocones by chemical dissolution. According to the type of substrate materials, suitable methods of grafting thermo-responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) were chosen to obtain the thermo-responsive materials with nanocone array. For example, the glass surface and polymer surface with nanocone array were grafted with PNIPAAm by the method of ARGET-ATRP and ultraviolet irrigation, respectively.
Conclusion & Significance: Modulating the structural parameters of the thermo-responsive nanocone surfaces will realize the target of regulating bacterial adhesion, killing bacteria and releasing dead cells and their cell fragments. The material that is able to regulate bacterial adhesion and prevent biofilm formation belongs to physical environmental friendly materials, which provides new mentality for the control of bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.