An advance in plasma-based engineering has enabled the development of a contact-killing, antifouling, drug-release surface. It is hoped the technology will help to accelerate antimicrobial material development, providing a better option for healthcare facilities.
Most disinfectants rely on standard wet-chemistry methods, as do many of the biocidal materials recommended for healthcare settings. The processes to create surfaces are invariably complex and expensive.
An alternative could be introduced using plasma-enabled surface engineering. This set of technologies includes low-pressure and atmospheric pressure plasma etching, plasma polymerization, sputtering, gas aggregation of nanoparticles, and aerosol-assisted plasma deposition.
The scientific basis behind the technology relates to the use of nonequilibrium plasma capable of producing chemical reactions that proceed to change the properties at the material surface.
Studies show that the chemical reactions can be altered by adjusting the electric power required for surface activation, coating deposition, and surface nanostructuring. The process seems to be adaptable to almost any type of solid material.
The different temperature levels within the plasma generate selective chemical pathways. The chemical reactions account for the contact-killing effect and the destruction of microorganisms. This occurs through the application of microscopic spikes that puncture microorganisms as they make contact with the surface.
The bactericidal effect was demonstrated using plasma-etched black silicon nanopillar structures against Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that can cause skin infection and which presents a challenge to healthcare environments.
The surface also has anti-biofouling properties. Such materials will prevent microorganisms from accumulating on surfaces to form biofilms.
Plasma is the fourth state of matter. It is essentially a gas that contains a large portion of charged particles (both ions and electrons). These charged particles differentiates plasm from other states of matter.
In the past plasma has been used in the production of biocidal materials, albeit indirectly (such as through the incorporation of silver nanoparticles into polymeric nanofibers).
The research appears in the Journal of Applied Physics, with the peer reviewed paper headed “Plasma technology in antimicrobial surface engineering.”
