Premium
Zinc Oxide Nano‐Spicules on Polylactic Acid for Super‐Hydrophilic and Bactericidal Surfaces
Author(s) -
Park Bum Chul,
Byun Sang Won,
Ju Youngjun,
Lee Dae Beom,
Shin Ji Beom,
Yeon KyungMin,
Kim Yu Jin,
Sharma Prashant,
Cho NamHyuk,
Kim Jungbae,
Kim Young Keun
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.202100844
Subject(s) - sponge spicule , polylactic acid , materials science , nanotechnology , zinc , nanoparticle , nanometre , chemical engineering , nanoscopic scale , micrometer , polymer , nanomaterials , composite material , optics , biology , metallurgy , physics , anatomy , engineering
The artificial construction of nature‐mimic inorganic–organic heterostructures is an emerging technological interest for protective surface applications. Mimicking the spikiness of sea urchin spicules for their protective function, here, the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanometer‐scale spicules grown from micrometer‐scale polylactic acid (PLA) beads and fibers as super‐hydrophilic and bactericidal surfaces is reported. The thermodynamic mechanism behind the interfacial assembly of pre‐entrapped ZnO nanoparticles right at the PLA–water interfaces above the glass transition temperature of PLA, allowing for the follow‐up growth of nano‐spicules on the PLA templates is uncovered. This sea urchin‐like topography of ZnO nano‐spicules induces super‐hydrophilicity while generating reactive oxygen species as well as allowing the stabbing action of nano‐spicules. All of the above help enhance the bactericidal activity against both gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria in an unprecedentedly effective way. The findings conceptualize a new strategy to spontaneously assemble nanoparticles at the polymer–liquid interfaces, enabling various heterostructures with topography‐induced functions.