In an interdisciplinary joint project, scientists from KIT and Saarland University have investigated the adhesive force of bacteria on surfaces in the fight against multi-resistant germs in hospitals. "If you make it more difficult for bacteria to adhere to the surface, you effectively prevent the formation of a resistant biofilm," says Michael Klatt, who was responsible for the geometric surface analyses at KIT, which have now been published in the journal Nanoscale.
It was shown that the adhesive force of the bacteria is directly related to the size of the nanostructures on the surfaces of the materials studied. A clever choice of nanostructuring can therefore drastically reduce the adhesion of pathogens. In hospitals, surfaces with topographies in the nanoscale range are widely used for artificial implants, for example. When viewed enlarged many times, the surfaces of these materials are reminiscent of bizarre landscapes with high mountains and deep valleys. According to Klatt, bacterial infections could be reduced by using materials with specially treated surfaces.
www.pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/nr/c9nr04375f#!divAbstract
