Host‐Guest Inclusion Chemistry From Supramolecular Architecture Enabling Anti‐Biofouling Surfaces for Oesophagus Stents

Abstract Biofouling on implantable medical devices (IMDs) is a significant clinical challenge due to associated infections, treatment resistance, and ultimate device failure. Coating the surface of IMDs with materials that can reduce/prevent bacterial attachment remains a leading approach in infection prevention. Slippery lubricant‐infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have been shown to be promising in resisting biofouling; however, lack of surface stability (marked by lubricant depletion) and material's biocompatibility are the main hurdles toward its practicality. Here, by exploiting encapsulation properties of supramolecular structures through host‐guest chemistry, namely, cyclodextrins metal–organic frameworks, lubricant chains are entrapped inside their cavities – producing completely biocompatible SLIPS with excellent durability. This molecular‐woven network with reticular architecture and unique slippery properties is further held within polydimethylsiloxane matrix and coated on 3D printed oesophagus stents as proof‐of‐concept demonstration. The coatings maintained slipperiness under harsh water droplet shedding for 40 h, continuous water flow for >90 h (350 L/h), and showed excellent resistance against protein (bovine serum albumin), bacterial ( S. aureus and E. Coli ), and cell (L929 fibroblast) attachment. This SLIPS is soft (Young's modulus of 18.7 ± 1.6 MPa), which may offer advantage in terms of its potential use on IMDs and in applications such as food packaging.