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Photothermal superhydrophobic surfaces have been demonstrated for anti-icing/deicing applications. However, preparing these materials using simple and environmentally friendly methods remains a challenge. Herein, a high-efficiency energy utilization strategy based on a photothermal-wind synergistic effect combined with superhydrophobicity has been proposed for anti-icing/deicing. Using onestep femtosecond laser direct writing technology, we modified a polyether ether ketone surface, which resulted in a superhydrophobic surface with photothermal effects. The optimized fabrication condition was laser treatment with velocity of 80 mm s−1 (LT-V80), which gave a surface possessing a high water contact angle (∼160.9°) and a low rolling angle (∼3°), and excellent self-cleaning properties were seen. Furthermore, LT-V80 showed high light absorptivity (∼94.6%), which caused the surface temperature to increase by 44.5 °C under 1.0 sun illumination. The addition of wind to the system resulted in a synergistic effect together with the photothermal and superhydrophobic properties, and caused a 87.1% reduction of the deicing time and a 220.3% increase in the icing time. This strategy also demonstrated good deicing efficiency in a cold outdoor environment. An efficient solar energy utilization strategy as demonstrated by LTV80 indicates that efficient anti-icing/deicing is possible using simple, environmentally friendly, and low cost fabrication methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, laser-induced graphene (LIG) coated surfaces were shown to resist biofilm growth, although the material was not strongly antibacterial. Here, we show LIG surfaces doped with silver nanoparticles (Ag0 or AgNPs) as highly antibacterial surfaces. Starting from AgNO3 polyethersulfone (PES) polymer substrates, silver nanoparticles between 5–10 nm were generated in situ during the lasing process and stably embedded in the fibrous and porous structure of LIG in a single step. These silver doped LIG (Ag@LIG) surfaces were highly toxic to bacteria via a mechanism of both Ag+ ion release and possible surface toxicity of the AgNPs. The added antibacterial function of Ag-nanoparticles expands the functionality of LIG coated surfaces and might lead to highly effective point of use/entry devices in rural areas or in disaster situations with contaminated water sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A galabiose disaccharide building block was synthesized by an efficient pectinase cleavage of polygalacturonic acid and subsequent chemical functional group transformations. Besides the disaccharide, the corresponding trisaccharide was also obtained and modified. The compounds were subsequently conjugated to dendrimers with up to eight end groups using 'click' chemistry. The compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of adhesion of the pathogen Streptococcus suis in a hemagglutination assay and strong inhibition was observed for the tetra- and octavalent galabiose compound with MIC values in the low nanomolar range. The corresponding octavalent trisaccharide was a ca. 20-fold weaker inhibitor.