Factors Influencing the Adhesion of Microorganisms to Surfaces

Starvation, growth phase, and carbon source influenced bacterial cell surface hydrophobicity. Both the number and kind of microorganisms that colonized metal surfaces depended on the type of metal and the presence of an imposed electrical potential. No significant differences in attachment and growth of a pure culture were observed when metal surfaces were dipped in an exogenous energy source. The chemical composition of naturally occurring adsorbed organic films on metal surfaces was shown to be independent of surface composition and polarization.     

Modification of Surfaces to Meet Bioadhesive Design Goals: A Review

The modern range of medical devices presents contrasting requirements for adhesion in biological environments. Strong bioadhesion is desired in many circumstances to assure device retention and immobility. Minimal adhesion is absolutely essential in others, where thrombosis or bacterial adhesion would destroy the utility of the implants. A brief review is given of some analytical approaches, based in adhesion science, most useful in addressing these needs. Familiar correlating parameters, such as the critical surface tension, are surprisingly good in predicting bioadhesive outcomes such as tissue integration. The example of dental implants is given to illustrate this correlation. In every case, primary attention must be given to the qualities of the first interfacial conditioning films of bio-macromolecules deposited from the living systems. For instance, fibrinogen deposits from blood may assume different configurations on surfaces of different initial energies, and thus trigger different physiological events. Standard surface modification techniques, such as siliconization, when properly quality controlled can yield improved blood-compatible devices like substitute blood vessels and artificial heart sacs. Promising extensions to new areas of biotechnology are forecast.     

Activated Poly(hydromethylsiloxane)s as Novel Adhesion Promoters for Metallic Surfaces

A poly(hydromethylsiloxane) (PHMS) was bound to aluminum, copper and steel surfaces via activation with cis-[PtCl₂(PhCH = CH₂)₂] in solution at room temperature. The attached polymer promotes the adhesion to two-component silicone resins where the curing process is based on catalytic hydrosilylation of olefins. In lap-shear or peel tests, cohesive failure was always observed. An example shows that the adhesive joint withstood boiling water for 200 h without considerable loss of adhesive strength. It is suggested that a small fraction of the olefinic component of the resin, e.g., a poly(dimethylsiloxane) containing some olefinic groups, is also connected with the attached PHMS via catalytic hydrosilylation, thus binding the silicone resin to the surface via the PHMS layer.     

Activated Poly(hydromethylsiloxane)s as Novel Adhesion Promoters for Metallic Surfaces

A poly(hydromethylsiloxane) (PHMS) was bound to aluminum, copper and steel surfaces via activation with cis-[PtCl₂(PhCH [dbnd] CH₂)₂] in solution at room temperature. The attached polymer promotes the adhesion to two-component silicone resins where the curing process is based on catalytic hydrosilylation of olefins. In lap-shear or peel tests, cohesive failure was always observed. An example shows that the adhesive joint withstood boiling water for 200 h without considerable loss of adhesive strength. It is suggested that a small fraction of the olefinic component of the resin, e.g., a poly(dimethylsiloxane) containing some olefinic groups, is also connected with the attached PHMS via catalytic hydrosilylation, thus binding the silicone resin to the surface via the PHMS layer.     

Adhesion of Nanoparticles Fouling Glass Surfaces

The fouling of glass surfaces by nanoparticles formed from corroding iron was studied. Simple experiments demonstrated that adherent films of nanoparticles were deposited by corrosion of iron particles on a glass surface and by flowing water past corroding particles and then onto a glass surface. The water collected from this experiment was found to contain about 2 parts per million (ppm) of particles 500 nm in diameter when tested by photon correlation spectroscopy. However, electron micrographs showed that the primary particles in the fouling film were 20 nm in diameter. This discrepancy was explained by a new theory of nucleation of the fouling films. The theory was confirmed by measuring the particle size of ferric hydroxide dispersions as a function of concentration and pH. It was shown that the 20 nm primary nanoparticles nucleated much larger stable aggregates (defined as nucleags), which were sensitive both to pH and to magnetic fields. In particular, as the pH rose above 6, flocculation occurred, and large unstable agglomerates were observed. The conclusion was that three types of particle could exist in the corrosion product of iron and water: nanoparticles, nucleags, and flocs.     

Using Knock-Out Mutants to Investigate the Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to Abiotic Surfaces

The adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to abiotic surfaces is crucial for establishing device-related infections. With a high number of single-cell force spectroscopy measurements with genetically modified S. aureus cells, this study provides insights into the adhesion process of the pathogen to abiotic surfaces of different wettability. Our results show that S. aureus utilizes different cell wall molecules and interaction mechanisms when binding to hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. We found that covalently bound cell wall proteins strongly interact with hydrophobic substrates, while their contribution to the overall adhesion force is smaller on hydrophilic substrates. Teichoic acids promote adhesion to hydrophobic surfaces as well as to hydrophilic surfaces. This, however, is to a lesser extent. An interplay of electrostatic effects of charges and protein composition on bacterial surfaces is predominant on hydrophilic surfaces, while it is overshadowed on hydrophobic surfaces by the influence of the high number of binding proteins. Our results can help to design new models of bacterial adhesion and may be used to interpret the adhesion of other microorganisms with similar surface properties.     

Adhesion of Wax Droplets to Porous Polymer Surfaces

An experimental study was done to measure the force of adhesion of molten wax droplets, 3.1 mm in diameter, dropped from heights ranging from 20 to 50 mm onto porous polyethylene and Teflon surfaces. The Teflon surface had 0.25-mm holes drilled in it and the three polyethylene surfaces had random pores with mean diameters of 35, 70, and 125 μm, respectively. The force required to remove the solidified ink from the surface was measured using a pull test. Wax splats were attached to the substrate by both adhesive and cohesive forces. The cohesive force was calculated by multiplying the ultimate tensile strength of the wax (2.2 MPa) by the cross-sectional area of the wax penetrating into surface pores. The adhesive force was obtained by multiplying the contact area between the wax and substrate by the adhesion strength per unit area, estimated to be 0.2 MPa for polyethylene and 0.1 MPa for Teflon surfaces. The contact area between splats and the substrate was typically about 60–70% of the splat area. The edges of splats lifted up, preventing complete contact.     

The Application of Inelastic Electron Tunnelling Spectroscopy to Epoxide Adhesives

The theory of inelastic electron tunnelling spectroscopy (IETS) and the suitability of this technique for examining adhesive-aluminium oxide interfaces are discussed. IET spectra are presented of an epoxide resin (the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A), two aliphatic amine hardeners (di-[1 -aminopropyl-3-ethoxy] ether and triethylene tetramine), and mixtures of resin and hardener before and after subjection to the usual heat curing schedules. These show that the curing reaction does not take place within an IETS junction; a possible reason for this is the epoxide resin is physically adsorbed on to the aluminium oxide surface whilst the hardeners may be chemically adsorbed through the amine groups.     

Adhesion Improvement by UV Grafting onto Polyolefin Surfaces

High Density Poly(ethylene) (HDPE) and Poly(propylene) (PP) were subjected to several surface treatments, namely UV grafting of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), plasma deposition of HEMA and oxygen plasma treatment. Treated surfaces were subjected to two post-treatment routines (extraction with ethanol and high temperature aging). The effect of these treatments on the adhesion of HDPE and PP to epoxy coated studs was evaluated by a pull test. No adhesion at all was recorded on untreated samples. On the other hand, all the treatments yield high bond strength in the case of HDPE: an average bond strength of about 290 kg/cm² and of about 200 kg/cm² was observed after UV grafting and plasma treatments. The treated samples were practically insensitive to post-treatments. As to PP, which undergoes chain scission in plasma, it is best treated by the comparatively milder conditions of UV grafting, which yields an average bond strength similar to that observed on HDPE. O₂ and HEMA-plasma-treated PP show a mean bond strength close to 50 kg/cm², and are deeply affected by the post-treatment routines.     

Adhesion Improvement by UV Grafting onto Polyolefin Surfaces

High Density Poly(ethylene) (HDPE) and Poly(propylene) (PP) were subjected to several surface treatments, namely UV grafting of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), plasma deposition of HEMA and oxygen plasma treatment. Treated surfaces were subjected to two post-treatment routines (extraction with ethanol and high temperature aging). The effect of these treatments on the adhesion of HDPE and PP to epoxy coated studs was evaluated by a pull test. No adhesion at all was recorded on untreated samples. On the other hand, all the treatments yield high bond strength in the case of HDPE: an average bond strength of about 290 kg/cm² and of about 200 kg/cm² was observed after UV grafting and plasma treatments. The treated samples were practically insensitive to post-treatments. As to PP, which undergoes chain scission in plasma, it is best treated by the comparatively milder conditions of UV grafting, which yields an average bond strength similar to that observed on HDPE. O₂ and HEMA-plasma-treated PP show a mean bond strength close to 50 kg/cm², and are deeply affected by the post-treatment routines.     

环氧粉末涂层对金属基材附着力的影响因素

环氧粉末涂料具有附着力好、耐腐蚀性强、耐温性能好等优点,在金属防腐特别是重防腐领域应用非常广泛。在环氧粉末涂层的诸多性能中,涂层对基材的附着力是非常重要的一项技术指标,也是满足其他性能的基础,附着力的好坏直接影响着涂层对基材的保护寿命。本文主要从喷涂温度、基材表面处理的表面粗糙度以及粉末涂料原材料等方面讨论了环氧涂层对金属基材表面附着力的影响因素。研究表明:喷涂温度提高有利于涂层附着力的提高,表面粗糙度提高且锚纹深度相对均匀有利于涂层附着力的提高,填料以及助剂的种类对附着力具有一定的影响。     

Cell Type-Specific Adhesion and Migration on Laser-Structured Opaque Surfaces

Cytocompatibility is essential for implant approval. However, initial in vitro screenings mainly include the quantity of adherent immortalized cells and cytotoxicity. Other vital parameters, such as cell migration and an in-depth understanding of the interaction between native tissue cells and implant surfaces, are rarely considered. We investigated different laser-fabricated spike structures using primary and immortalized cell lines of fibroblasts and osteoblasts and included quantification of the cell area, aspect ratio, and focal adhesions. Furthermore, we examined the three-dimensional cell interactions with spike topographies and developed a tailored migration assay for long-term monitoring on opaque materials. While fibroblasts and osteoblasts on small spikes retained their normal morphology, cells on medium and large spikes sank into the structures, affecting the composition of the cytoskeleton and thereby changing cell shape. Up to 14 days, migration appeared stronger on small spikes, probably as a consequence of adequate focal adhesion formation and an intact cytoskeleton, whereas human primary cells revealed differences in comparison to immortalized cell lines. The use of primary cells, analysis of the cell–implant structure interaction as well as cell migration might strengthen the evaluation of cytocompatibility and thereby improve the validity regarding the putative in vivo performance of implant material.     

Thermoresponsive Antibacterial Surfaces Switching from Bacterial Adhesion to Bacterial Repulsion

Herein, ene‐functionalized dopamine is first coated onto a polyether sulfone membrane surface to introduce double bonds as anchoring sites for hydrogel film. Then, a hydrogel film is synthesized and simultaneously attached onto the membrane via photoinduced crosslinking copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and methacryloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride. The thickness of the hydrogel film can be well‐controlled ranging from the nanometer to micrometer scales, which can retain the permeability of the membrane. Water contact angle and swelling tests demonstrate that the modified membrane shows thermoresponsive surface wettability. The quaternary ammonium salts in the hydrogel film can kill the attached bacteria efficiently and the dead bacteria can be detached by reducing the temperature below the lower critical solution temperature of poly(NIPAAm). The modified membrane also shows improved hemocompatibility, confirmed by prolonged clotting time and low hemolysis ratio. Hence, the designed thermoresponsive antibacterial hydrogel film with enhanced hemocompatibility has great potential to be applied in biomedical areas.     

Shear Adhesion Strength of Gecko-Inspired Tapes on Surfaces with Variable Roughness

With the aim to gain a wider understanding on the design rules of bioinspired adhesives for application in the medical field, the adhesion of fibrillar structures on soft and stiff polymers was determined in bench top studies on surfaces with variable roughness and in ex-vivo wet tissue tests. The adhesion strength of stiff fibrillar structures was found to be dependent on the roughness of the adherent surface. For a given fibril width and density, the optimal adhesion was seen when the length of the fibrils was of the same range as that of the roughness of the surface it was tested against. Over this limit, the adherence decreased. In the case of soft adhesive structures, the same trend was observed where an optimum adhesion was seen when the size of the pillars matched that of the adherent surface roughness. This observation was attributed to an increase in surface contact. The adhesion of fibrillar structures on tissue samples in ex-vivo tests showed a similar trend with enhanced fibrillar interpenetration favoring a larger number of contacts and a stronger capillary force expected to account for the adhesion enhancement.     

粘接理论研究的一些新进展

近年来本文作者在粘接理论方面作了一些初步的研究,本文主要介绍粘接界面形成配位键的初步证实及用边界元法计算粘接搭接接头应力结果的分析。     

Adhesion and Removal of Particles from Surfaces Under Humidity Controlled Air Stream

The adhesion and the removal of individual micrometer-sized particles on a plane substrate are studied using an air shear flow cell. Laminar isothermal compressible flow characterization enables us to analyze the effect of various parameters such as particle size, air humidity, surface nature and surface charge on the aerodynamic forces required to remove the particles from the substrate. The results show that the increase of humidity (up to a critical value) favors particle removal when particles adhere under strong electrostatic forces on a non-conductive charged substrate. On the contrary, the existence of a capillary force disfavors particle removal beyond this critical humidity. The increase of the humidity disfavors the removal of particles in contact with an uncharged substrate. The results are interpreted in terms of a global adhesion force using a force and torque balance on a single particle in contact with a plane substrate. Moreover, the use of a high-speed video recording system enables us to determine the particle removal mechanisms as a function of the particle Reynolds number.     

Adhesion and Debonding of Soft Elastic Films on Rough and Patterned Surfaces

With the help of simulations based on energy minimization, we have studied the effect of roughness of a rigid contactor with sinusoidal and step patterns on the adhesion-debonding cycle of a soft thin elastic film. The surface instability engendered by attractive forces between the contactor and the film produces a regularly spaced array of columns in the bonding phase. The inter-column spacing is governed largely by periodicity of the contactor pattern. Decreased periodicity of the pattern favors intermittent collapse of columns rather than a continuous peeling of contact zones. An increase in the amplitude of roughness decreases the maximum force required for debonding and increases the snap-off distance. The net effect results in a reduced work for debonding. Introduction of noise and increased step-size in simulations decreases the pull-off force and the snap-off distance, as in the case of a smooth contactor. Finally the study reveals that a patterned contactor can be used as a potential template in the patterning of soft interfaces.     

Adhesion and Removal of Particles from Surfaces Under Humidity Controlled Air Stream

The adhesion and the removal of individual micrometer-sized particles on a plane substrate are studied using an air shear flow cell. Laminar isothermal compressible flow characterization enables us to analyze the effect of various parameters such as particle size, air humidity, surface nature and surface charge on the aerodynamic forces required to remove the particles from the substrate. The results show that the increase of humidity (up to a critical value) favors particle removal when particles adhere under strong electrostatic forces on a non-conductive charged substrate. On the contrary, the existence of a capillary force disfavors particle removal beyond this critical humidity. The increase of the humidity disfavors the removal of particles in contact with an uncharged substrate. The results are interpreted in terms of a global adhesion force using a force and torque balance on a single particle in contact with a plane substrate. Moreover, the use of a high-speed video recording system enables us to determine the particle removal mechanisms as a function of the particle Reynolds number.     

Adhesion and Debonding of Soft Elastic Films on Rough and Patterned Surfaces

With the help of simulations based on energy minimization, we have studied the effect of roughness of a rigid contactor with sinusoidal and step patterns on the adhesion-debonding cycle of a soft thin elastic film. The surface instability engendered by attractive forces between the contactor and the film produces a regularly spaced array of columns in the bonding phase. The inter-column spacing is governed largely by periodicity of the contactor pattern. Decreased periodicity of the pattern favors intermittent collapse of columns rather than a continuous peeling of contact zones. An increase in the amplitude of roughness decreases the maximum force required for debonding and increases the snap-off distance. The net effect results in a reduced work for debonding. Introduction of noise and increased step-size in simulations decreases the pull-off force and the snap-off distance, as in the case of a smooth contactor. Finally the study reveals that a patterned contactor can be used as a potential template in the patterning of soft interfaces.     

Covalent and Stable CuAAC Modification of Silicon Surfaces for Control of Cell Adhesion

Stable primary functionalization of metal surfaces plays a significant role in reliable secondary attachment of complex functional molecules used for the interfacing of metal objects and nanomaterials with biological systems. In principle, this can be achieved through chemical reactions either in the vapor or liquid phase. In this work, we compared these two methods for oxidized silicon surfaces and thoroughly characterized the functionalization steps by tagging and fluorescence imaging. We demonstrate that the vapor‐phase functionalization only provided transient surface modification that was lost on extensive washing. For stable surface modification, a liquid‐phase method was developed. In this method, silicon wafers were decorated with azides, either by silanization with (3‐azidopropyl)triethoxysilane or by conversion of the amine groups of an aminopropylated surface by means of the azido‐transfer reaction. Subsequently, D ‐amino acid adhesion peptides could be immobilized on the surface by use of Cu^I‐catalyzed click chemistry. This enabled the study of cell adhesion to the metal surface. In contrast to unmodified surfaces, the peptide‐modified surfaces were able to maintain cell adhesion during significant flow velocities in a microflow reactor.