Bioinspired Multifunctional Protein Coating for Antifogging, Self-Cleaning, and Antimicrobial Properties

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b03522
• Publication Date: 2019-06-20T16:23:01Z
• Authors: Haishan Qi; Chen Zhang; Hongshuang Guo; Weiwei Zheng; Jing Yang; Xiao Zhou; Lei Zhang
• Keywords: Coated Materials, Biocompatible; Surface Properties; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Humans; 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Anti-Bacterial Agents

A multifunctional coating with antifogging, self-cleaning, and antimicrobial properties has been prepared based on a mussel-inspired chimeric protein MP-KE, which is the first example that these proteins were successfully applied to fabricate antifogging surfaces. The coating exhibits super hydrophilic properties, as indicated by contact angles less than 5° and high light transmittance similar to bare glass substrates about 90%. The zwitterionic peptides of MP-KE empower water molecules to expand into thin hydrated films rapidly, providing the protein coating with diverse surface functions. Moreover, the coatings have excellent stability and a convenient preparation process because of the mussel adhesive motif of MP-KE which makes the coating anchor onto the surface strongly. As a protein material, this multifunctional coating possesses remarkable biocompatibility and has a potential application prospects in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.