| abstract |
Methods include forming azobenzene-based polymer arrays to induce a change of modulus in a highly crosslinked polymer, in vivo, without the requirement of external heat and use of benign light as a source of stimulus. A change of modulus can be achieved through a coating on the substrate and inside the bulk of the substrate by photoexposure. The azobenzene-based polymer network may be formed as a coating or in the bulk of a material from a glassy composition comprising methyl methacrylate (MMA), poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) or a flexible material comprising long-chain difunctional acrylates. The technology of the invention also includes methods of breaking and removing biofilm from the surface of a substrate, and includes methods of inhibiting biofilm growth and attachment of cells to a substrate. |