Biofilm formation on textile substrates: Interplay of interfacial energetics, multiscale roughness and fabric architecture

Čuk, Nina (author), Fink, Rok (author), Simončič, Barbara (author), Kostajnšek, Klara (author), Bizjak, Matejka (author), Lunder, Manca (author), Jerman, Ivan (author), Tomšič, Brigita (author)

Hypothesis: Bacterial adhesion on textile substrates is determined not only by the surface free energy (SFE) differences between bacterial cells and fibres but also by multiscale surface roughness and fabric architecture. Consequently, bacterial adhesion behaviour may deviate from classical thermodynamic predictions established for smooth, homogeneous surfaces. Experiments: Bacteria–textile–liquid interactions were investigated using three woven substrates (cotton, cotton/ wool, cotton/polyester) with distinct chemical composition, roughness, and SFE characteristics. Biofilm formation of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated in aqueous media with controlled surface tension (0.9% saline and saline supplemented with 0.5% and 1.0% polysorbate 80). Bacterial surface properties were characterised via contact angle analysis, and thermodynamic adhesion (ΔG adh adh BLS ) was calculated from SFE components. Findings: Biofilm formation was strongly substrate- and strain-dependent, with cotton promoting the highest and cotton/wool the lowest biomass. Adhesion could not be explained by simple hydrophilic–hydrophobic matching. Although ΔG BLS was positive for all bacteria–textile combinations (22–33 mJ/m²), indicating non-spontaneous adhesion under equilibrium conditions, biofilm formation occurred on all substrates and showed no consistent correspondence with thermodynamic predictions. Instead, adhesion was governed by the interplay between nanoscale roughness, surface energetics, and textile architecture (e.g., yarn density and porosity), while the influence of the growth medium was comparatively minor. These results demonstrate that classical SFE-based approaches are insufficient for fibrous materials and provide new insight into a mechanistic framework linking interfacial energetics with multiscale topography in realistic textile systems, enabling more predictive design of functional and hygienic textile surfaces.

• Language: English
• Keywords: untreated textile material, biofilm, chemical and structural properties, surface roughness, surface free energy, interfacial interactions
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 14 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 55, art. 115870
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185632
• UDC: 677
• ISSN on article: 2352-4928
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2026.115870
• COBISS.SI-ID: 287706371
• Publication date in RUL: 14.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Materials today communications
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2352-4928
• COBISS.SI-ID: 19385622

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: neobdelani tekstilni material, biofilm, kemijske in strukturne lastnosti, površinska hrapavost, površinska prosta energija, medfazne interakcije