Responsive and Synergistic Antibacterial Coatings: Fighting against Bacteria in a Smart and Effective Way

Abstract

Antibacterial coatings that eliminate initial bacterial attachment and prevent subsequent biofilm formation are essential in a number of applications, especially implanted medical devices. Although various approaches, including bacteria‐repelling and bacteria‐killing mechanisms, have been developed, none of them have been entirely successful due to their inherent drawbacks. In recent years, antibacterial coatings that are responsive to the bacterial microenvironment, that possess two or more killing mechanisms, or that have triggered‐cleaning capability have emerged as promising solutions for bacterial infection and contamination problems. This review focuses on recent progress on three types of such responsive and synergistic antibacterial coatings, including i) self‐defensive antibacterial coatings, which can “turn on” biocidal activity in response to a bacteria‐containing microenvironment; ii) synergistic antibacterial coatings, which possess two or more killing mechanisms that interact synergistically to reinforce each other; and iii) smart “kill‐and‐release” antibacterial coatings, which can switch functionality between bacteria killing and bacteria releasing under a proper stimulus. The design principles and potential applications of these coatings are discussed and a brief perspective on remaining challenges and future research directions is presented.

Highly Effective and Noninvasive Near‐Infrared Eradication of a Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm on Implants by a Photoresponsive Coating within 20 Min

“…[15][16][17][18][19] Near-infrared light-induced hyperthermia for combating bacteria based on photothermal conversion agents is one of the most attractive emerging methods and can destroy bacteria via various thermal effects, such as breakdown of the cell membrane or denaturation of proteins/enzymes. [15][16][17][18][19] Near-infrared light-induced hyperthermia for combating bacteria based on photothermal conversion agents is one of the most attractive emerging methods and can destroy bacteria via various thermal effects, such as breakdown of the cell membrane or denaturation of proteins/enzymes.…”

Recent Advances and Future Prospects on Adaptive Biomaterials for Antimicrobial Applications

“…[85,86] These surface modification strategies are capable of combining multiple functions through certain chemical structures without involving any antimicrobial factors. [87] Yet the above-mentioned modification strategies only kill bacteria that attach to the surfaces. For those floating bacteria, they will be powerless.…”

Brushing the surface: cascade reactions between immobilized nanoreactors

“…titania nanoparticles) or soft (e.g. polymer) surfaces is a critical and practical methodology achieving applications ranging from implanting, 1 sensing, 2 dye-sensitized solar cells 3 to self-sterilizing systems. 4 The development of surface functionalization is currently receiving significant research attention.…”