Summary
Biofilms are thin layers of bacteria that can stick to wet surfaces. They can cause serious problems in hospitals, water systems, ships, and food production. Current methods to stop biofilm growth can involve toxic chemicals, special coatings, or intensive scrubbing. These methods are costly, short-lived, and detrimental to the environment. This CAREER project will take a new approach. It will fabricate surfaces that emit UV light from within the material itself, so that bacteria will not be able to attach to the surface in the first place. The research team at the University of Massachuset
