AVS 64th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Biomaterial Interfaces Division Tuesday Sessions
       Session BI-TuP

Paper BI-TuP1
Optimizing Micropost Arrays to Break Up Biofilms

Tuesday, October 31, 2017, 6:30 pm, Room Central Hall

Session: Biomaterial Interfaces Poster Session with Flash presentations
Presenter: James Waters, University of Pittsburgh
Authors: J.T. Waters, University of Pittsburgh
A.C. Balazs, University of Pittsburgh
Correspondent: Click to Email
Surfaces covered with periodic arrays of microposts represent an appealing avenue of fouling mitigation, as they rely on a physical mechanism without unintended environmental consequences. In addition to reducing the area for contaminant cells to bind to the surface, the flow field generated by specific configurations of posts under shear may help push particles away from the surface, or break up biofilms as they form. We represent such a system computationally using a hybrid of bulk fluid simulated via the lattice Boltzmann method, and deformable vesicles, representing cells, simulated via that lattice spring method. This simulation methodology allows us to rapidly implement and test different surface structures, and explore how the parameters of post shape and arrangement can most effectively deter the accumulation of biofilms.