S. Jampala, Majid Sarmadi, S. Manolache, A. Wong, and F.S. Denes. University of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY, Madison, WI 53706
The need to combat microbial infections in medical textiles and devices drives interest in developing surfaces with polymeric antimicrobial structures that are reported with enhanced efficacy. Free polycationic structures are known to exhibit antibacterial characteristics in water-based environments, but suffer from residual toxicity, leaching out and low efficiencies. Cold plasma technologies open up novel and efficient routes to tailor the surface characteristics without altering the bulk of a material, facilitating the covalent implantation of structure- and functionality-controlled chemical groups under selected discharge parameters. The work describes surface layers that kill bacteria on contact by using low pressure, non-equilibrium plasma (LP-NEP)-enhanced synthesis and deposition of bactericidal quaternary ammonium (QA) thin layer macromolecular structures onto cellulose-based surfaces, paper and cotton fabric. Our work with grafting QA groups on stainless steel (SS) surface will also be discussed.
Audio File