Magneto-mechanically induced antimicrobial properties of cone-like shaped surfaces

Hygienic surfaces that prevent the proliferation of harmful microorganisms are required in a large variety of environments, including medical areas. Novel strategies are being developed to impede microorganisms colonization of surfaces. In this work, Terfenol-D cone-like shaped nanopatterned surfaces are fabricated by sputtering. The bactericidal effect of such surfaces owed to their morphology is increased in combination with an alternating magnetic field, which boosts the mechanical injury caused to the planktonic cells. Bactericidal assays with Gram-negative Escherichia coli are carried out under static (i.e. without any external stimuli) and dynamic (under the application of an alternating magnetic field) conditions for control silicon substrates, Terfenol-D films and nanostructured surfaces. The nanostructured surfaces at the dynamic condition exhibit the larger bactericidal effect. Bacterial adhesion on the materials was analyzed, and results show a reduction of the attachment surface of bacterial cells on Terfenol-D surfaces in comparison with the control silicon that are attributed both to material properties and nanostructuration. Thus, this work exhibits a method to induce and/or improve the mechanical antimicrobial behavior of surfaces via application of a magnetic field, as an alternative or in combination with chemical methods, which are losing effectiveness due to the increase of antibiotic resistance.