Tripathi, A.; Park, J.; Pho, T.; Champion, J. A.

Bacterial adhesion to stainless steel, an alloy commonly used in shared settings, numerous medical devices, and food and beverage sectors, can give rise to serious infections, ultimately leading to morbidity, mortality, and significant healthcare expenses. In this study, we have demonstrated Cu-coated nanotextured stainless steel (nSS) fabrication using electrochemical technique and its potential as an antibiotic-free biocidal surface against Gram-positive and negative bacteria. As nanotexture and Cu combine for dual methods of killing, this material should not contribute to drug resistant bacteria as antibiotic use does. Our approach involves applying a Cu coating on nanotextured stainless steel, resulting in a antibacterial activity within 30 minutes. We have performed comprehensive characterization of the surface revealing that the Cu coating consists of metallic Cu and oxidized states (Cu2+ and Cu+). Cu-coated nSS induces a remarkable reduction of 97% in Gram-negative Escherichia coli and 99% Gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria. This material has potential to be used to create effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions to prevent bacterial infections caused by surface contamination without contributing to antibiotic resistance.