Research

Bactericidal activity of black silicon

Nature Comm., 4, 2838 (2013)
E. P. Ivanova, J. Hasan, H. K. Webb, G. Gervinskas, S. Juodkazis, Vi K. Truong, A. H. F. Wu, R. N. Lamb, V. A. Baulin, G. S. Watson, J. A. Watson, D. E. Mainwaring, R. J. Crawford

 Black silicon is a synthetic nanomaterial that contains high aspect ratio nanoprotrusions on its surface, produced through a simple reactive-ion etching technique for use in photovoltaic applications. Surfaces with high […]

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Anti-bacterial surfaces inspired by cicada and dragonfly wings

This is the first reported example of a naturally existing surface with a physical structure that exhibits such effective bactericidal properties. Cicada wing nanopillars are extremely effective at killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells; the wing surface was able to kill individual cells within approximately 3 min. This bactericidal ability of the wing surface is primarily a physico-mechanical effect, […]

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Bacterial attachment on sub-nanometrically smooth titanium substrata

Biofouling, 29 (2), 163-170 (2013)
H.K. Webb, V. Boshkovikj, C.J. Fluke, V.K. Truong, J. Hasan, V.A. Baulin, R. Lapovok, Y. Estrin, R.J. Crawford and E.P. Ivanova
Despite the volume of work that has been conducted on the topic, the role of surface topography in mediating bacterial cell adhesion is not well understood. The primary reason for this lack of […]

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Natural Bactericidal Surfaces: Mechanical Rupture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cells by Cicada Wings

Elena P. Ivanova, Jafar Hasan, Hayden K. Webb, Vi Khanh Truong, Gregory S. Watson, Jolanta A. Watson, Vladimir A. Baulin, Sergey Pogodin, James Y. Wang, Mark J. Tobin, Christian Löbbe, Russell J. Crawford

Small, 8 (16), 2489 – 2494 (2012)

Natural superhydrophobic surfaces are often thought to have antibiofouling potential due to their self-cleaning properties. However, when […]

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Anti-bacterial surfaces inspired by cicada and dragonfly wings

Many surfaces found in nature possess sophisticated topographical structures which provide them with exceptional properties. Nano-structured surface of lotus leafs efficiently repel water, microscopic brushes of gecko fingers drastically increase the contact with surfaces, topographical structures provides for enhanced anti-reflection surface properties in insects. Self-cleaning ability of bio-surfaces enables them to prevent contamination by particles […]

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Differential attraction and repulsion of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on molecularly smooth titanium films

E. Ivanova, V. Khanh Truong , H. Webb , V.A. Baulin, J. Wang , N. Mohammodi, F. Wang, C. Fluke, R. Crawford

Langmuir, 27(18), 11710-11721 (2011)

Magnetron sputtering techniques were used to prepare molecularly smooth titanium thin films possessing an average roughness between 0.18 nm and 0.52 nm over 5 μm × 5 μm AFM scanning areas. Films […]

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