Enhancing microbiostatic properties of silicone catheters with Al2O3 coatings deposited by atomic layer deposition

Catheter-associated infections are a concern in healthcare and the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, which can be caused by a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. To prevent severe complications, developing materials with antimicrobial and/or microbiostatic properties is critical. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a thin-film deposition technique that precisely controls the thickness and composition of deposited metallic oxide films. ALD is promising for creating biomedical devices, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering scaffolds with complex geometries. Given the microbiostatic properties of some metallic oxides-coatings, which act hampering the adherence of microorganisms, this work investigated the ALD of Al2O3 thin films on the surface and lumen of silicone catheters. Herein, we showed that Al2O3-coated silicone catheters with a thickness of 100 nm inhibited the formation of biofilm towards Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, while reducing the contamination by 1 Log. The low temperature ALD approach presented in this investigation paves the way for further studies on active coatings aiming at biomedical devices with improved microbiostatic properties towards different microorganisms.

Automated summary

Catheter-associated infections are the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections and pose a significant concern in healthcare. Preventing microbial infections through the development of materials with antimicrobial and/or microbiostatic properties is crucial. In this study, atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to deposit aluminum oxide (Al2O3) thin films on the surface and lumen of silicone catheters, effectively inhibiting biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans while reducing contamination by 1 Log. This low-temperature ALD approach opens up possibilities for further research on active coatings for biomedical devices with improved microbiostatic properties against various microorganisms.