Fungal\nAttachment-Resistant\nPolymers for the Additive\nManufacture of Medical Devices

This study reports\nthe development of the first copolymer\nmaterial\nthat (i) is resistant to fungal attachment and hence biofilm formation,\n(ii) operates via a nonkilling mechanism, i.e., avoids the use of\nantifungal actives and the emergence of fungal resistance, (iii) exhibits\nsufficient elasticity for use in flexible medical devices, and (iv)\nis suitable for 3D printing (3DP), enabling the production of safer,\npersonalized medical devices. Candida albicans (C. albicans) can form biofilms on\nin-dwelling medical devices, leading to potentially fatal fungal infections\nin the human host. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is a common material\nused for the manufacture of medical devices, such as voice prostheses,\nbut it is prone to microbial attachment. Therefore, to deliver a fungal-resistant\npolymer with key physical properties similar to PDMS (e.g., flexibility),\neight homopolymers and 30 subsequent copolymers with varying glass\ntransition temperatures (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub>) and fungal\nantiattachment properties were synthesized and their materials/processing\nproperties studied. Of the copolymers produced, triethylene glycol\nmethyl ether methacrylate (TEGMA) copolymerized with (r)-α-acryloyloxy-β,β-dimethyl-γ-butyrolactone\n(AODMBA) at a 40:60 copolymer ratio was found to be the most promising\ncandidate by meeting all of the above criteria. This included demonstrating\nthe capability to successfully undergo 3DP by material jetting, via\nthe printing of a voice prosthesis valve-flap using the selected copolymer.