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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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A Breakthrough Non-Stick Medical Coating Could Help Stop Hospital Infections Before They Start

Hospital-acquired infections are one of the biggest hidden challenges in modern healthcare. Even when hospitals are clean, dangerous microbes can still survive on surfaces like bed rails, medical tools, and door handles. Now, researchers from the University of Toronto have developed a new type of non-toxic surface coating that may significantly reduce this risk by stopping proteins—and therefore bacteria—from sticking in the first place.

This innovation could change how we think about cleanliness in hospitals, moving from constant chemical disinfection to smarter, safer surfaces that naturally resist contamination.

Why cleaning alone is not enough

Right now, hospitals mainly rely on strong chemical disinfectants like bleach to kill germs on surfaces. This approach is effective, but it comes with serious drawbacks.

Professor Kevin Golovin, who leads the Durable Repellent Engineered Advanced Materials (DREAM) Laboratory at the University of Toronto Engineering, explains the problem clearly:

“The simplest way to keep a surface clean is to wash it with disinfectants like bleach. But it’s not great for people who are constantly exposed to these toxic products. And using chemicals repeatedly increases the chance that microbes evolve resistance.”

In other words, the more we rely on chemical cleaning, the more we risk creating stronger, more resistant bacteria over time.

This is why scientists are now exploring a different approach: instead of killing microbes after they arrive, prevent them from sticking at all.

The hidden role of proteins in infection spread

Many people think bacteria directly attach to surfaces, but the process is more complex. Microbes often release sticky protein layers that help them cling to objects.

Professor Golovin explains:

“Many infectious diseases are transmitted by touch. The microbes release a sticky layer of proteins that enable their attachment. If you stop those proteins from sticking, you stop the disease from spreading.”

This idea is powerful because it targets the very first step of infection: attachment. If bacteria cannot hold onto a surface, they cannot form colonies or spread further.

A special material called PDMS

To solve this problem, the research team focused on a material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). It is a type of silicone that is already widely used in medical and consumer products like contact lenses and implants because it is safe for the human body.

PDMS naturally resists bacteria to some extent, but the researchers wanted to make it much more effective.

Ph.D. student Mehdi Sadeghi, the lead author of the study, explains how they modified it:

“Normally, PDMS is made into a solid rubber by cross-linking polymer chains. But our version is different. It has long flexible chains sticking out from the surface like soft bristles.”

Instead of being smooth and solid, the surface behaves more like a soft brush made of tiny flexible strands.

The “liquid-like” surface that confuses bacteria

What makes this coating truly special is how those polymer “bristles” behave. They are not stiff. They bend, sway, and move slightly like a liquid.

Because of this, the surface is described as “liquid-like.”

This motion creates a major problem for bacteria and proteins: they cannot find a stable place to attach.

Imagine trying to stand on grass during a strong wind. Every time you try to settle, the surface moves underneath you. That is similar to what microbes experience on this coating.

As a result, proteins that normally act like glue simply fail to stick.

Testing the coating in the lab

To test how well the coating works, researchers used a protein called bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is commonly used in experiments as a stand-in for bacterial proteins.

They placed tiny droplets of this protein solution on different surfaces, including the new PDMS coating and other standard non-stick materials.

What they observed was striking.

Normally, when a droplet dries, proteins move to the edges and form a dark ring-like stain called a “coffee ring.” This residue is hard to remove and sticks strongly to surfaces.

But on the new PDMS coating, this did not happen.

Sadeghi describes the result:

“Instead of forming a ring, the droplet shrank evenly. The proteins just couldn’t stick.”

Even after the liquid evaporated, only a very small amount of residue remained—and it was so weakly attached that it could be removed by a light touch or even a puff of air.

In many cases, it could be cleaned off using only plain water, without harsh chemicals.

Better than current non-stick technologies

One of the most interesting findings is that this coating performed even better than polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are widely known for their strong non-stick properties.

PFAS materials are used in products like Teflon, but they have raised serious health and environmental concerns because they can accumulate in the body and environment.

In comparison, the PDMS-based coating is considered much safer and non-toxic.

This makes it especially promising for medical use, where both cleanliness and safety are critical.

Why this matters for hospitals

Hospital environments are full of high-touch surfaces: bed rails, surgical instruments, trays, monitors, and more. Even with strict cleaning protocols, it is nearly impossible to eliminate all contamination risks.

A coating that prevents sticking could:

  • Reduce hospital-acquired infections

  • Lower the need for harsh chemical disinfectants

  • Protect healthcare workers from constant chemical exposure

  • Slow down the development of antimicrobial resistance

  • Improve overall patient safety

Instead of cleaning surfaces repeatedly, hospitals could rely on materials that stay clean by design.

What comes next

The research team is now working on the next stage of development. They want to test the coating against real disease-causing bacteria, not just model proteins like BSA.

They are also collaborating with medical equipment manufacturers to explore how the technology can be applied in real healthcare settings.

Professor Golovin explains the future direction:

“The coating process is scalable, and we are working on integrating it into manufacturing. We are very excited about its potential for both high-end medical equipment and disposable products.”

This means the technology could eventually be used on everything from surgical tools to single-use hospital items.

A shift from killing germs to preventing attachment

The most important idea behind this innovation is a shift in thinking.

Instead of focusing only on killing bacteria after they arrive, scientists are now designing surfaces that make it impossible for bacteria to settle in the first place.

This approach is safer, more sustainable, and potentially more effective in the long term.

If widely adopted, it could mark a major step forward in preventing infections in hospitals and beyond.

Conclusion

The new non-toxic coating developed at the University of Toronto represents a promising advance in medical science. By using a “liquid-like” PDMS surface that prevents proteins from sticking, researchers have created a material that could dramatically reduce the spread of infections.

While more testing is needed before real-world use, the early results are highly encouraging. If successful, this technology could transform hospital hygiene—from constant chemical cleaning to smart surfaces that stay clean on their own.

In the future, the fight against infection may not just depend on what we clean with, but on what we build our surfaces from.

Reference: Mehdi Sadeghi et al, Liquidlike polydimethylsiloxane polymer brushes spontaneously delaminate drying protein-laden droplets, Chemical Engineering Journal (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.173417

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