Surface Anti-bacterial Adhesion Characteristics of TiO2-coated PMMA

The anti-bacterial adhesion properties of TiO2-coated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) surfaces are investigated systematically. In detail, the adhesion of S. aureus (gram positive) and E. coli (gram negative) to TiO2-coated and uncoated PMMA surfaces are performed by the plate counting method. Afterwards, the adhesion free energy of bacteria on both supporting materials is quantified using the thermodynamic approach of Lifshitz van der Waals and acid/base interactions. The superior anti-adhesion capability of TiO2-coated PMMA is demonstrated when compared to native PMMA, both experimentally and theoretically.