As superbugs become harder to treat and antibiotic resistance continues to rise worldwide, Flinders University scientists have uncovered an unlikely ally in the fight to prevent infections before they take hold. They have found that carefully controlled microscopic cracks can enhance the performance of an antibacterial coating, which helps destroy dangerous bacteria when activated with a small electrical charge.

The discovery could lead to smart wound dressings and wearable devices that monitor health while protecting against infection.

The paper, “Stress-Programmed Microcrack Networks in Gallium–Carbon Nanotube Thin Films for Plasma-Active and Electroresponsive Antibacterial Interfaces,” is published in Small Structures.