Substrate Selection in Antifouling and Antimicrobial Performances of Nanomaterial Coatings: A Comparison of PDMS, PMMA, and Glass

The utilization of nanomaterials as coating materials constitutes an economical and prevalent approach to addressing the fouling issue on substrate surfaces. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and glass are widely used substrates susceptible to biofouling, compromising the performance and longevity of instruments, sensors, and devices. This study evaluated the antifouling and antimicrobial efficacy of commonly used nanomaterials (ZnO, CeO₂, Fe₂O₃, and graphene) when coated on these substrate materials. All four nanomaterial coatings demonstrated sustained antimicrobial activity on PDMS that significantly exceeded their performance on PMMA and glass. Notably, the graphene-coated surfaces exhibited comparable IC₅₀ values on both organic matrices and those observed in suspension-phase tests. These findings elucidate the critical role of substrate-nanomaterial interactions in determining the effectiveness of nanomaterial-based antifouling strategies.