Droplet-based energy harvesting superhydrophobic membrane with bacterial sensing ability for continuous monitoring

Among the polymeric membranes used in various fields, antibacterial membranes are notable due to their direct relation to health and function issues. Therefore, the physical/chemical stability and long-term antibacterial effects of such membranes are significant for their applications. However, the antibacterial membranes could be inevitably contaminated due to continuous usage and membrane damage, which would be significantly detrimental to human health. Herein, a polysilsesquioxane (PSQ)-based superhydrophobic smart membrane with antibacterial and bacterial sensing ability is introduced that can applied to various types of membrane. The PSQ membrane has superior antibacterial effect via contact-killing/repulsion due to quaternary ammonium and long alkyl chains on surfaces, and has the additional function of water-droplet based energy harvesting. The harvested energy is utilized as for sensing, and the membrane sensor is able to continuously monitor the damage level of the membrane and the degree of bacterial contamination. Hence, this droplet-based energy harvesting superhydrophobic membrane (DESm) is expected to prevent any infection that could otherwise arise due to membrane contamination during daily use.