A universal biocompatible coating for enhanced lubrication and bacterial inhibition.

Antibacterial coatings that inhibit bacterial adhesion are essential for many implanted medical devices. A variety of antibacterial strategies, such as repelling or killing bacteria, have been developed, but not yet been completely successful. Here, we develop a universal biocompatible coating for enhanced lubrication and bacterial inhibition. The coating is designed based on mussel-inspired surface-attachable dopamine bases and consists of lubricating zwitterionic polymers poly(2-methacryloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (MPC) and a bacterial membrane destroying anti-bacteria molecule poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB). The coating boasts strong adhesion to surfaces of various materials (such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/ceramic/316L stainless steel (316L SS); it is biocompatible, and cell/platelet/bacteria repelling, significantly inhibiting bacterial growth. We envision that our strategy represents a universal strategy for surface functionalization of a variety of biomedical devices and implants.