Effective prevention of Escherichia coli biofilm on materials by nano-vibration

Bacterial colonization on the surfaces of indwelling medical devices is one of the most important causes of related infections. By generating nano-vibration, the accumulation of bacterial colonies and the biofilm formation on the surface of materials can be hindered. In this paper, based on the adhesion characteristics between bacteria and the surface of materials, the antimicrobial mechanism of nano-vibration was revealed theoretically. By establishing the force model, which considered van der Waals force, electrostatic force, and hydrophobic force of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the process of adhesion, we obtained the optimal amplitude range of nano-vibration to prevent E. coli attachment. Moreover, in vitro experiments were conducted to analyze the influence of the amplitude of nano-vibration on bacterial adhesion. The results showed that the aggregation of E. coli could be effectively avoided when the amplitude ranged from 0.3 nm to 3.8 nm, and the formation of bacterial biofilm could be successfully prevented when the amplitude of vibration on the surface was greater than 21 nm, which was in consistent with the theoretical analysis. This work provides a new reference for clinical prevention and treatment methods of indwelling device-related infections.