Nano-engineered alumina surfaces for prevention of bacteria adhesions

Nanoporous and nanopillared anodic aluminum oxide surfaces in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface conditions were engineered to examine for bacterial adhesions (S. aureus and E. coli K-12) under both stagnant and dynamic flow environments. The hydrophobic nanopillared surfaces showed the most pronounced effect to prevent the bacteria adhesions in both stagnant and dynamic flow conditions. It is attributed to the air layer entrapped on the hydrophobic surface due to the roughness-induced superhydrophobicity as well as the minimized contact area of the solid surface to the bacteria due to the pillared surface morphology.