Toward Self-Regenerating Antimicrobial Polymer Surfaces

Regeneration of functional polymer surfaces after damage or contamination is an unresolved scientific challenge and also of practical importance. In this proof-of-concept study, we present a method to regenerate a functional surface property using a polymer multilayer architecture. This is exemplified using antimicrobially active surfaces. The idea is to shed the top layer of the polymer layer stack, like a reptile shedding its skin. The proof-of-concept stack consists of two antimicrobial layers and a degradable interlayer. Shedding of the top layer is enabled by degrading that interlayer. The shedding process was analyzed by quantitative fluorescence microscopy, ellipsometry, and FTIR spectroscopy. Antimicrobial assays revealed that the functionality of the emerging antimicrobial layer was fully retained after shedding.