In this work we have studied the antifouling properties of the hydrophobic sol-gel modified sensing membrane and its optical properties for sensor application. E. coli JM109, B. cereus 318 and P. pastoris X-33 were cultivated in confocal cultivation dishes with glass surface, respectively. The glass surface was coated with the hydrophobic sol-gels prepared by the dimethoxy-dimethyl-silane (DiMe-DMOS) and tetramethyl-orthosilicate (TMOS). After cultivation, microorganisms adhered on the surface coated with sol-gels and glass surface were dyed by gram-staining method and the numbers of microorganisms were analyzed based on the image data of the scanning electronic microscope (SEM). A great number of microorganisms, about 2∼3 × 104/mm2, was adhered on the glass surfaces which no hydrophobic sol-gels were coated. However, the antifouling effect of the hydrophobic sol-gels was large, that microorganisms of less than 200∼300/mm2 were adhered on the coated glass surface. The performance of the sensing membranes for detection of pH and dissolved oxygen was enhanced by recoating the light insulation layer prepared with the mixture of the hydrophobic sol-gel and graphite particles.

본 연구에서는 광학센서의 응용을 위해 소수성 졸-겔로 개질된 고분자 막의 미생물 비점착 특성과 광학특성을 조사하였다. DiMe-DMOS (Dimethoxy-dimethylsilane)와 TMOS (Tetramethyl-orthosilicate)를 이용하여 제조한 소수성 졸-겔로 코팅된 컨퍼컬디쉬 표면과 유리표면에 E. coli JM109, B. cereus 318 그리고 P. pastoris X-33을 배양하였다. 배양 후, 부유세포를 증류수를 이용하여 제거하고 그람 염색법에 의해서 점착된 미생물을 염색하였다. 점착된 미생물의 수는 SEM을 이용하여 정량적으로 분석하였다. 유리표면에는 2∼3 × 104개/mm2의 미생물이 점착되었으나 소수성 졸-겔 표면에는 200∼300개/mm2의 미생물이 점착됨으로써 소수성 졸-겔의 비점착 효과를 알 수 있었다. 또한, 소수성 졸-겔과 절광물질인 흑연을 혼합하여 제조한 절광층(Light insulating layer)을 pH나 용존산소 검출막 위에 재코팅한 후, pH나 용존산소의 검출막의 성능이 향상되었음을 알 수 있었다.