Hydrophobic anodized alumina surface with embedded CuO nanoparticles: A study on antibacterial behavior

High-touch surfaces pose a significant risk of nosocomial infections, making the development of antibacterial surfaces crucial for inactivating bacteria. In this study, we engineered a one-pot anodic oxidation process incorporating CuO nanoparticles, resulting in a hierarchical porous microstructure. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful embedding of CuO nanoparticles on the anodized aluminum surface. Since the anodic oxidation of aluminum and CuO nanoparticle embedding occurred simultaneously, precise control over nanoparticle distribution was limited. Following stearic acid modification, the CuO-embedded hydrophobic aluminum surface achieved a water contact angle of 121° The antibacterial assay demonstrated a 68 % reduction in Escherichia coli colonies, for the stearic acid-modified CuO-embedded sample, highlighting the synergistic effect of hydrophobicity and CuO nanoparticles. This study presents a novel strategy for fabricating hydrophobic aluminum surfaces capable of disrupting bacterial colonies effectively. The one-pot, cost-effective approach underscores its suitability for industrial and practical applications.