Development of durable and superhydrophobic nanodiamond coating on aluminum surfaces for improved hygiene of food contact surfaces

Foodborne illness outbreaks caused by bacterial pathogens may take place on a large scale and result in millions of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths every year throughout the world. One key strategy for dealing with this global issue is the design of smart surfaces and coatings which inhibit and reduce bacterial attachment. This can mitigate contamination and cross-contamination during farm-to-table food processing, promoting food safety, and hygiene. Herein, we reported a durable superhydrophobic coating on aluminum surfaces fabricated by sequential deposition of ultrahard nanodiamond, self-assembly of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopamine), and chemical modification with an organoflurosilane. This coating achieved static, advancing, and receding water contact angles of 159.0 +/- 2.5 degrees,154.0 +/- 2.4 degrees; and 153.7 +/- 1.7 degrees, respectively, representing water super-repellency with a low overall root mean square (rms) roughness of 173.5 +/- 69.6 nm. In comparison to the bare, unmodified aluminum, the coated aluminum surfaces prevented the attachment of 99.5% of applied Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E.coli O157:H7) and 99.0% of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) cells. In addition, due to the presence of nanodiamond building blocks, the coated surfaces demonstrated a high mechanical resistance against scratching and endured at least 10,000 shearing/rubbing cycles with a nylon surface. Overall, we anticipate that implementation of this coating could improve safety and hygiene of food-contact surfaces that require harsher mechanical operational conditions.

Automated summary

The study presented a durable superhydrophobic coating on aluminum surfaces that effectively prevents bacterial attachment, enhancing food safety and hygiene levels for surfaces requiring harsher mechanical operational conditions.