High Aspect Ratio Nanostructures Kill Bacteria via Storage and Release of Mechanical Energy

Abstract

The threat of a global rise in the number of untreatable infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria calls for the design and fabrication of a new generation of bactericidal materials. Here, we report a concept for the design of antibacterial surfaces, whereby cell death results from the ability of the nanofeatures to deflect when in contact with attaching cells. We show, using three-dimensional transmission electron microscopy, that the exceptionally high aspect ratio (100-3000) of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) imparts extreme flexibility, which enhances the elastic energy storage in CNTs as they bend in contact with bacteria. Our experimental and theoretical analyses ..