Peptide based antimicrobial coating

A method of applying an antimicrobial surfactant polymer to a substrate surface, the method comprising:

• a) providing an antimicrobial surfactant polymer, comprising:
• i) a polymeric backbone of repeating monomeric units;
• ii) a plurality of hydrophobic side chains comprising from about 2 to about 18 methylene groups, the plurality of hydrophobic side chains being linked to the polymeric backbone by one of the group consisting of ester linkages, secondary amine linkages, amide linkages, and combinations thereof;
• iii) a first hydrophilic side chain and a second hydrophilic side chain comprising reactionable di-aldehyde terminated polyethylene glycol molecules, the first and second side chains each having a proximal hydrophilic side chain end linked to the polymeric backbone by one of the group consisting of ester linkages, secondary amine linkages, amide linkages, and combinations thereof spaced from a distal hydrophilic side chain end;
• iv) an antimicrobial peptide comprising Nisin having an aldehyde linkage linked to the distal chain end of at least one of the first or second hydrophilic side chains by the aldehyde linkage;
• and
• b) dissolving the antimicrobial surfactant polymer in deionized water to form an antimicrobial surfactant solution;
• and
• c) exposing a surface of a substrate to the antimicrobial surfactant solution.