Review on Surface Lubrication and Antibacterial Modification of Medical Silicone Tubes

LI Bing; ZHANG Guofa; SUN Qianqian; WANG Litao; LYU Mei

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.20.016

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (20) : 229-242. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.20.016

Functional Surfaces and Technology

Review on Surface Lubrication and Antibacterial Modification of Medical Silicone Tubes

LI Bing, ZHANG Guofa,SUN Qianqian, WANG Litao, LYU Mei^*

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Abstract

Medical silicone tubes are extensively applied in clinical drainage, catheterization and vascular access owing to their superior biocompatibility and mechanical performance. Nevertheless, their intrinsic hydrophobicity gives rise to high friction resistance during insertion and extraction, which easily induces tissue injury and patient discomfort. In addition, the hydrophobic surface tends to promote bacterial adhesion and biofilm development, further triggering intractable catheter-associated infections. Therefore, developing surface modification strategies with integrated lubrication and antibacterial functions has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of medical device surface engineering.
Three primary approaches have been established to reduce surface friction. Firstly, physicochemical surface regulation techniques including plasma treatment, ion implantation, and vapor deposition enable the construction of low-friction, wear-resistant functional layers. Secondly, hydration lubrication interfaces, typically realized through hydrogel coatings or zwitterionic polymer brushes, form stable hydrated layers that achieve interfacial superlubrication with coefficients of friction as low as 0.01-0.05. Thirdly, bioinspired lubrication structures such as lubricant-infused surfaces and organohydrogel arrays, inspired by the micro/nano architectures of intestinal villi, articular cartilage, and pitcher plants have achieved coefficients of friction as low as approximately 0.008 5.
Antibacterial surface designs fall into three categories. Passive anti-adhesion interfaces prevent initial bacterial attachment through physicochemical means, including hydrophilic/charged hydration layers, superhydrophobic surfaces, and liquid-infused layers. Active bactericidal interfaces directly kill bacteria via release of antibacterial agents (e.g. silver ions, copper ions, nitric oxide), contact active molecules (e.g. antimicrobial peptides, quaternary ammonium salts), or physical mechanisms such as photothermal and piezoelectric effects. Smart responsive interfaces enable on-demand release of antibacterial components in response to microenvironmental cues such as pH or enzymatic activity, offering precise antibacterial control with reduced risk of drug resistance.
To achieve synergistic functionality of lubrication-antibacterial coatings, three integration strategies have been explored: (1) physical barrier combined with chemical release, where a lubricious outer layer controls the release of embedded antibacterial agents; (2) multifunctional component integration, incorporating both lubricious and antibacterial moieties within a single coating matrix; and (3) structural optimization of the coating architecture to balance the often conflicting requirements of lubrication and antimicrobial efficacy. Preliminary in vivo evaluations have demonstrated the potential of these integrated systems.
Despite significant progress, several challenges remain. Long-term stability under dynamic physiological conditions, the risk of bacterial resistance, and the scalability of fabrication processes are the primary obstacles to clinical translation. Future developments are likely to focus on intelligent, integrated multifunctional coatings featuring responsiveness to multiple stimuli (pH, temperature, enzymes), self-healing capabilities, and infection-sensing drug release, to realize the goal of "minimal trauma and zero infection" in indwelling medical devices.

Key words

medical silicone tubes / surface modification / lubrication / antibacterial / biofilm / hydrogel

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LI Bing, ZHANG Guofa, SUN Qianqian, WANG Litao, LYU Mei. Review on Surface Lubrication and Antibacterial Modification of Medical Silicone Tubes[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(20): 229-242

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Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2022ME048, ZR2023MH018); High level Scientific Research Project Cultivation Program of Jining Medical University (JYGC2022KJ007)