Easyscan 2

The surfaces of the control, UV, blastedHF, and blastedHF+UV specimens were first observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM, SU1510, Hitachi High-Technologies, Tokyo, Japan) at an accelerating voltage of 15 kV after sputter coating with Au using an ion coater (QUICK COATER SC-701, Sanyu Electron, Tokyo, Japan). Both surfaces of the disks and tapered cylinders were evaluated.
Examination with an atomic force microscope (AFM; Nanosurf Easyscan 2, Nanosurf, AG, Liestal, Switzerland) revealed the three-dimensional surface morphology and surface roughness (Sa) of the surface-modified disk specimens. AFM images were captured in air. The scans were obtained in the dynamic force mode with a tapping cantilever (Tap 190 Al-G, Budget Sensors; Innovative Solutions Bulgaria Ltd., Sofia, Bulgaria). AFM images were obtained for an area of 25 × 25 µm². Surface roughness was measured as the three-dimensional arithmetic height (Sa) value obtained from the captured images on AFM analysis. Three specimens for each condition were measured.
Contact angles for each specimen with respect to double-distilled water were measured using a contact angle meter (DMe-201; Kyowa Interface Science Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). The volume of the water drops was maintained at 1.0 µL, and 10 s measurements of each surface were made thrice under controlled conditions of 25 ± 1 °C and 46% humidity.

Cross-sections of the coated urinary catheter were subjected to line scans using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) (Quantax 70, Hitachi, Japan) to determine the presence of silver elements on the top surface and inside the tube materials. Size distribution of AgNPs on the coated surface was determined based on a scanning electron microscope micrograph taken at magnification values of 150,000× by field emission-scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) (Quanta 400, FEI, Eindhoven, The Netherlands), and the size distribution of the particles was determined by ImageJ. Surface roughness and topology were examined at the representative areas of the coated surface (5 × 5 mm) by using a noncontact mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) (easyScan 2, Nanosurf, Switzerland).

The surface morphology of films was characterized using a scanning electron microscope (Zeiss EVO 18) (Oxford instruments) by coating samples (3 mm × 3 mm) with a thin layer of gold and applying a 10 KV electron voltage. The morphology of membranes was observed by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Carl-Zeiss Model Ultra-microscope-55 (German). The morphological structures of AP and APH films were analyzed using SEM. The texture of the film (1 cm × 1 cm) was captured by using an optical microscope (upright optical microscope Olympus BX61) using optical stream motion software; the image was analyzed at 200 µm and 20 µm at a magnification of 15 and 500. AFM (Nanosurf easy scan2 Nanosurf AG Switzerland 23-06-154) was used to characterize the morphology of the samples more precisely. Utilizing the interactions between the tip and the sample surface, AFM is a technique capable of recreating a topographic map of the sample surface. By collecting data on the cantilever’s deflection using a laser, it is possible to obtain morphology-specific data on the sample’s surface.

Particle size and distribution (poly-dispersity index, PDI) were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) using a Microtrac NANO-flex. Zeta potential of particle dispersion were measured by Stabino PMX 400. FTIR absorbance peaks were acquired using Bruker Tensor 27 FTIR spectrometer and NP dispersion and solution were dropped on KBr pellets and dried at 50 ºC. UV/Vis absorption spectra for F127 qualification was carried out with a UV–Vis–NIR spectrometer (Lambda 950, from Perkin Elmer). The photoluminescence spectra were measured using a JASCO spectrofluorometer FP-8500. SEM images were taken using a FEI Sirion SEM at 3 kV accelerating voltage. All samples were coated with 3 nm Pt before performing SEM measurements. AFM measurements were performed with a Nanosurf Easy Scan 2 in contact mode. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy have been recorded at the PolLux beamline at the Swiss Light Source^{66 (link)}. The samples were raster-scanned through the focal spot of a nickel zone plate with an outermost zone width of 25 nm (yielding approx. 30 nm lateral resolution) with a pixel resolution of 10 nm.

Wells that contained biofilms were washed and dried as described elsewhere. After drying, the wells were cut out with a sharp blade and images of the wells taken with a FEI Nova nanoSEM 230 (FEI). The topology of the surfaces was studied using a Nanosurf Easyscan 2 atomic force microscope (AFM; Nanosurf AG, Switzerland). The AFM was operated in static force mode, equipped with a CantAI-G cantilever. The P-gain was adjusted to 2800, rotation to 45° and tip voltage to zero. Images were recorded in the range of 10 μm (x and y) and AFM parameters were evaluated using the SPIP 3D image processing 6.3.6 software (Image Metrology A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark).