Chapter 5 - Antimicrobial micro/nanostructured functional polymer surfaces

Abstract

Adhesion of bacteria and biofilm formation are adverse phenomena crucial in many applications including bioinduced corrosion or in biorelated applications such as the elaboration of devices and implants. This chapter aims to provide a general overview of bacterial adhesion onto polymeric surfaces. In particular, we focus on the parameters that are involved in the adhesion of microorganisms to polymeric surfaces including the surface chemistry or the topography at the micro/nanometer scale. The first part of this chapter illustrates the general concepts concerning the bacterial surface, the immobilization mechanisms, or biofilm formation. Then, the general strategies reported to modify polymeric surfaces and render them antimicrobial are briefly depicted. This part includes the description of polymers with antimicrobial activity. Finally, in spite of the controversial literature, the role of the surface topography both at the micro- and at the nanometer scale will be depicted.