Thermally switchable polymers achieve controlled Escherichia coli detachment

Adv Healthc Mater. 2014 Jul;3(7):1020-5. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201300518. Epub 2014 Feb 4.

Abstract

The thermally triggered release of up to 96% of attached uropathogenic E. coli is achieved on two polymers with opposite changes in surface wettability upon reduction in temperature. This demonstrates that the bacterial attachment to a surface cannot be explained in terms of water contact angle alone; rather, the surface composition of the polymer plays the key role.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; ToF-SIMS; switchable polymers; thermal responsiveness.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Adhesion / drug effects*
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects*
  • Escherichia coli / physiology
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Polymers / pharmacology*
  • Surface Properties
  • Temperature
  • Wettability

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Polymers