Bioinspired hydrophilic adhesive polymer coating for lubricating and antibacterial application

The insufficient lubricity and antibacterial activity of biomedical implants are the major reasons for patients' discomfort and implant failure. To improve the lubricity of biomedical implant surfaces, increasing hydrophilicity is a common method. However, bacteria will form abundant hydrogen bonds with hydrophilic surfaces, triggering poor antibacterial effects. Besides, many studies have focused on the antibacterial properties while failing to place lubrication in an equally important position. Here, we propose a biomimetic surface functionalization strategy to synthesize a dopamine-based hydrophilic and antibacterial polymer coating. The characterizations of the surfaces before and after modification demonstrated a tenacious hydration shell was formed around zwitterion groups. Moreover, the tribological and in vitro antibacterial tests indicated the coating significantly enhanced the lubricity and inhibited bacterial adhesion. This work presents a universal and promising strategy to simultaneously achieve excellent lubricity and antibacterial performance.