Picosecond Laser Surface Micro/Nano Texturing of Stainless Steel as a Method to Reduce the Adhesion of Bacteria

Rajab, F, Benson, PS, Li, L and Whitehead, KA (2017) Picosecond Laser Surface Micro/Nano Texturing of Stainless Steel as a Method to Reduce the Adhesion of Bacteria. In: 18th International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, 05 June 2017 - 08 June 2017, Toyama, Japan.

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Abstract

Biofilm formation and colonization is initiated by bacterial attachment followed by bacterial adhesion and retention on a surface. The buildup of biofilms may result in related health problems in the medical field and potential biofouling issues in industrial settings leading to increased economic burden. The design and manufacture surfaces that prevent bacterial attachment, retention and biofilm formation through their physical structure and chemical properties provides a potential solution to tackle such issues. Laser surface texturing provides a crucial role for the production of different antifouling surface patterns for use in a diverse range of applications in different medical or industrial fields. In the present work, a 1064 nm Nd:YVO4 Picosecond laser was used to produce a range of textures on 316L stainless steel (SS) substrates. Results showed that the Sa values and wettability of the surfaces all increased when compared to the control following laser treatment. This work demonstrated that on all the surfaces, for all the assays, the number of adhesive bacteria on the laser textured surfaces was reduced compared to the untreated substrate. One surface was demonstrated to be the best antiadhesive surface which was of higher roughness and superhydrophobicity