The impact of grafted modification of silicone surfaces with quantum‐sized materials on protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion

Abstract The majority of the infections associated with the biomedical devices including cardiovascular implants and catheters are instigated by the adhesion of bacteria including staphylococcus aureus, which is subsequently followed by biofilm formation. Keeping in mind the detrimental effect of bacterial adhesion, the objective of the study is to probe the impact of grafted modification of silicone surfaces with quantum‐sized carbon on biofilm formation. Also, explored is the effect of protein adsorption on modified surface and its subsequent influence on bacterial adhesion. We compare and contrast the architecture and foot print of protein adsorption on unmodified and modified model silicone surfaces on bacterial adhesion. The study underscores that protein adsorption on quantum‐sized carbon‐grafted surface acts as a repellant for bacterial adhesion because of steric repulsion between the negatively charged protein and bacteria. Thus, we establish here the efficacy of modified surfaces in preventing biofilm formation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A:100A: 3197–3204, 2012.