Crystalline self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of organosilane compounds such as octadecyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTCS) were deposited by a simple, spin-casting technique onto Si/SiO(2) substrates. Fabrication of the OTMS SAMs and characterization using ellipsometry, contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM), grazing angle attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (GATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) are described. The characterization confirms that these monolayers exhibit a well-packed crystalline phase and a remarkably high degree of smoothness. Semiconductors deposited by vapor deposition onto the crystalline OTS SAM grow in a favorable two-dimensional layered growth manner which is generally preferred morphologically for high charge carrier transport. On the OTMS SAM treated dielectric, pentacene OFETs showed hole mobilities as high as 3.0 cm(2)/V x s, while electron mobilities as high as 5.3 cm(2)/V x s were demonstrated for C(60).

More than 75% of hospital-acquired or nosocomial urinary tract infections are initiated by urinary catheters, which are used during the treatment of 15–25% of hospitalized patients. Among other purposes, urinary catheters are primarily used for draining urine after surgeries and for urinary incontinence. During catheter-associated urinary tract infections, bacteria travel up to the bladder and cause infection. A major cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infection is attributed to the use of non-ideal materials in the fabrication of urinary catheters. Such materials allow for the colonization of microorganisms, leading to bacteriuria and infection, depending on the severity of symptoms. The ideal urinary catheter is made out of materials that are biocompatible, antimicrobial, and antifouling. Although an abundance of research has been conducted over the last forty-five years on the subject, the ideal biomaterial, especially for long-term catheterization of more than a month, has yet to be developed. The aim of this review is to highlight the recent advances (over the past 10 years) in developing antimicrobial materials for urinary catheters and to outline future requirements and prospects that guide catheter materials selection and design.

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