Biofilm formation
on both animate and inanimate surfaces
serves as an ideal bacterial reservoir for the spread of nosocomial
infections. Designing surfaces with both superhydrophobic and antibacterial
properties can help reduce initial bacterial attachment and subsequent
biofilm formation. In the present study, a two-step approach is deployed
to fabricate silver–polymethylhydrosiloxane (Ag–PMHS)
nanocomposites, followed by a simple dip-coating deposition on anodized
Al. Ag-nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are synthesized in situ within a PMHS
polymeric matrix. Morphological features of Ag–PMHS coating
observed by scanning electron microscopy shows heterogeneous micro–nano-structures.
The chemical compositions of these coatings were characterized using
X-ray diffraction and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy, which indicate the presence of a low-energy
PMHS polymer. The as-synthesized Ag–PMHS nanocomposite demonstrated
excellent antibacterial properties against clinically relevant planktonic
bacteria with zone of inhibition values of 25.3 ± 0.5, 24.8 ±
0.5, and 23.3 ± 3.6 mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.A) (Gram −ve), Escherichia coli (E. coli) (Gram −ve), and Staphylococcus aureus (S.A) (Gram +ve), respectively. The Ag–PMHS nanocomposite
coating on anodized Al provides an anti-biofouling property with an
adhesion reduction of 99.0, 99.5, and 99.3% for Pseudomomas
aeruginosa (P.A), E. coli, and S. aureus (S.A), respectively.
Interestingly, the coating maintained a stable contact angle of 158°
after 90 days of immersion in saline water (3.5 wt % NaCl, pH 7.4).
The Ag–PMHS nanocomposite coating on anodized Al described
herein demonstrates excellent antibacterial and anti-biofouling properties
owing to its inherent superhydrophobic property.