Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research· 2026Q1
A Bioinspired Superhydrophobic Coating with Permanently Anchored Quaternary Ammonium Salts for Long-Lasting Antibacterial Protection
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A novel superhydrophobic coating permanently anchors quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) and uses a hierarchical micro-/nanotexture to achieve long-lasting antibacterial protection (>99.9% efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus within 2h), preventing biocide leaching and fouling.
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Key points
- Coating permanently anchors quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) via covalent grafting, reducing migration by 47.6% compared to blended methods.
- Hierarchical micro-/nanotexture from zinc oxide whiskers creates a superhydrophobic surface (WCA 159.0°, SA 2.5°) for self-cleaning.
- Surface maintains superhydrophobicity (>151° WCA) after 24h acid/alkali and 96h aging tests.
- Achieves >99.9% antibacterial efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus within 2 hours, even after heavy soiling.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Microbial contamination of surfaces in food processing, healthcare, and daily life poses serious threats to public health. Conventional antibacterial coatings suffer from two intrinsic limitations: leaching of active biocides and rapid fouling by organic matter, which shield the killing groups from bacteria. Here we report a durable antibacterial coating that overcomes both drawbacks through a synergy of chemical bonding and self-cleaning. Quaternary ammonium groups are covalently grafted into an epoxy coating, and a hierarchical micro-/nanotexture is created using fluorinated tetrapod-like zinc oxide whiskers (T-ZnOw). The resulting coating exhibits a water contact angle (WCA) of 159.0° and a sliding angle (SA) of 2.5°, enabling roll-off of contaminating liquids and particulates. Even after 24 h of acid/alkali resistance test and 96 h of accelerated aging test, the coating still exhibits a water contact angle higher than 151°. The anchored quaternary ammonium salts show 47.6% lower migration than physically blended counterparts, while the superhydrophobic surface prevents biofilm formation. The coating exhibits an antibacterial efficacy of >99.9% against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus within 2 h and maintains high activity even after heavy soiling. This design provides a general strategy for creating long-lasting, self-cleaning antimicrobial surfaces for food equipment, packaging, and medical devices.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Surfaces, Coatings and FilmsMaterials Science