Abstract
Samarium doped hydroxyapatite (Ca10−xSmx(PO4)6(OH)2, xSm = 0.5, 50SmHAp) is a very promising candidate to be used for different coatings in various dental and orthopedic implants. We report, for the first time, the obtaining of 50SmHAp thin films by a cost-effective method, namely spin coating. Thin films of 50SmHAp on silicon substrate have been analyzed by various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Metallographic microscopy and Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES). The stability of 50SmHAp suspension was evaluated by ultrasound measurements. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also used to evaluate the 50SmHAp suspension. The antifungal activity of 50SmHAp suspension and coatings was assessed using Candida albicans ATCC 10231 fungal strain (C. albicans). The results of the antifungal assays depicted that both 50SmHAp suspensions and coatings were effective in inhibiting the development of C. albicans fungal cells, thus making them ideal candidates for the development of novel antifungal agents. The obtained results give new perspective for possible applications of 50SmHAp thin films in various medical applications due to their antifungal properties.
Highlights
The use of biocomposites in areas such as implantology and dentistry is growing
We have demonstrated that a simple procedure such as spin-coating technique allows the obtaining of thin films of SmHAp with antifungal properties
Our results obtained by three different microscopic methods (SEM, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and metallographic microscopy) used to study the topography/morphology of the 50SmHAp coating surfaces are in good agreement suggesting the obtaining of a uniform and continuous coatings
Summary
The use of biocomposites in areas such as implantology and dentistry is growing. One of the most studied biomaterial with possible biomedical applications is hydroxyapatite (HAp). Due to its unique biological properties (biocompatibility, bioactivity, osteoconductivity, etc.), HAp could be used successfully in orthopaedics and dentistry [1,2]. Hydroxyapatite is a stoichiometric calcium phosphate, stable with a Ca/P molar ratio equal to 1.67 [2]. The presence of foreign ions (Ag+ , Eu3+ , Sm3+ , Zn2+ , etc.) in its structure improve both the physicochemical and the biological properties, increasing the area of applicability of this special biomaterial [2,3,4,5,6,7]
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