Sharklet AF™ is a bioinspired shark-skin patterned surface that reduces bacterial attachment with surface topography that ensures the pattern spacing is smaller than microbes. However, over long-time periods bacteria is able accumulate and reduces the effectiveness of the antifouling surface. In our group, we have fabricated multifunctional shark-skin patterned surfaces by combining antibacterial TiO2 nanoparticles with polymer or ceramic materials. Photocatalytic TiO₂ composite shark-skin patterned surfaces reduced attachment of E.coli by 70% and inactivated over 95% of E.coli under one hour UV exposure. Utilizing the photooxidative nature of TiO2 provides a durable antifouling surface which can be cleaned of microbes with merely the presence of UV light.

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Related Publications:

• Dundar Arisoy, F., Kolewe, K.W., Homyak, B., Kurtz, I.S., Schiffman, J.D. and Watkins, J.J., 2018. Bioinspired Photocatalytic Shark Skin Surfaces with Antibacterial and Antifouling Activity via Nanoimprint Lithography. ACS applied materials & interfaces.