Modification Of Topography Research Articles

Novel Strategy for Surface Modification of Titanium Implants towards the Improvement of Osseointegration Property and Antibiotic Local Delivery

The topography and chemical composition modification of titanium (Ti) implants play a decisive role in improving biocompatibility and bioactivity, accelerating osseointegration, and, thus, determining clinical success. In spite of the development of surface modification strategies, bacterial contamination is a common cause of failure. The use of systemic antibiotic therapy does not guarantee action at the contaminated site. In this work, we proposed a surface treatment for Ti implants that aim to improve their osseointegration and reduce bacterial colonization in surgery sites due to the local release of antibiotic. The Ti discs were hydrothermally treated with 3M NaOH solution to form a nanostructured layer of titanate on the Ti surface. Metronidazole was impregnated on these nanostructured surfaces to enable its local release. The samples were coated with poly(vinyl alcohol)-PVA films with different thickness to evaluate a possible control of drug release. Gamma irradiation was used to crosslink the polymer chains to achieve hydrogel layer formation and to sterilize the samples. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, contact angle measurements, "in vitro" bioactivity, and drug release analysis. The alkaline hydrothermal treatment successfully produced intertwined, web-like nanostructures on the Ti surface, providing wettability and bioactivity to the Ti samples (Ti + TTNT samples). Metronidazole was successfully loaded and released from the Ti + TTNT samples coated or not with PVA. Although the polymeric film acted as a physical barrier to drug delivery, all groups reached the minimum inhibitory concentration for anaerobic bacteria. Thus, the surface modification method presented is a potential approach to improve the osseointegration of Ti implants and to associate local drug delivery with dental implants, preventing early infections and bone failure.

A Hybrid Approach to Surface Engineering Based on Laser Texturing and Coating

A hybrid approach based on laser texturing and surface coating for the combined modification of surface topography and chemistry has been proposed to provide a versatile approach for the development of functional surfaces. The experimental procedure comprised nanosecond pulsed laser texturing of AISI 304 stainless steel substrates followed by the deposition of thin (<1 µm) coatings with two different technologies, sol–gel deposition and PE-CVD, with the aim of independently modifying the surface topography and chemical composition. Laser texturing with different scanning strategies achieved a variety of surface morphologies with an arithmetic mean height (Sa) in the range 0.2–6.4 µm. Coatings were then deposited on laser-textured substrates to quantify the deposition effectiveness and the influence of the coating type and parameters on the resulting surface topography and chemistry. Sol–gel deposition was found to be more effective with a polymeric interlayer, improving adhesion between the coating and the textured surface; however, this also led to an increase in Sa of approximately 0.5 µm. Conversely, PE-CVD was effective in modifying the surface chemistry while inducing no measurable differences in surface morphology, effectively decoupling the texturing and coating processes. Analysis of the surface chemistry showed a higher concentration of silicon for PE-CVD than sol–gel deposition and therefore a more pronounced effect on the surface chemical composition.

Ethylene Comonomer-Directed Epitaxial Nucleation and Growth of β-Nucleated Isotactic Polypropylene

We present a molecular-level investigation of the epitaxial crystallization of β-nucleated isotactic polypropylene associated with the minor and local topographic modification at the interface, i.e., the inclusion of an ethylene comonomer. The experimental results show that the relative fraction of β-crystal (Kβ) decreases progressively with increasing the amount of ethylene comonomer, which originates from a simultaneous reduction in the β-nucleation ability of a β-nucleating agent (N,N′-dicyclohexylterephthalamide, DCHT) toward propylene–ethylene random copolymers (PERs) and the growth rate of the β-crystal relative to the α-crystal. With the aid of molecular mechanics simulation, we demonstrate that such a topographic modification weakens the intermolecular interactions at the nucleation and growth interfaces, thereby modifying the epitaxial nucleation of the β-crystal and the growth kinetics of β- and α-crystals. The study reveals that the polymorph selection of the PERs/DCHT system is not solely determined by the lattice match but also profoundly influenced by the topography characteristics dependence of molecular interaction at the crystalline interfaces. Our fundamental insight could have important implications in the control of the polymorphism of polymers through the careful design of the topography of the nucleation and growth interfaces.

Molecular dynamics exploration of ion association mechanism of apatite controlled by a nanogrooved hydroxyapatite surface

Surface topography modification is a promising tissue engineering technology that provides an adjustable geometric microenvironment for the implant-tissue interface. Nanogrooves can affect the amount and arrangement of apatite deposition, which plays a crucial role in the formation of bionic bone tissue in the preferred direction. The effects of grooved topography on the ion association must be understood for designing and optimizing bone implant materials. We performed molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations to explore the effect of grooves with different slope angles on the ion association of Ca2+ and PO43- ions. The ion deposition degree could be controlled by regulating the slope angle of the nanogrooves. The groove model with a 60° slope angle has the greatest biological activity for ion deposition. Ions were selectively adsorbed at the sharp corners of the groove. This phenomenon was attributed to relative differences in binding thermostability in different regions of the groove, which could partially explain why a grooved topography can improve the production of a well-organized apatite structure. Our results provide a molecular mechanism to understand the effects of the grooved topography on the ion association, which can aid in optimizing the biological activity of materials through topography-modified tissue engineering technology.

Surface Engineering of a Bioartificial Membrane for Its Application in Bioengineering Devices.

Membrane technology is playing a crucial role in cutting-edge innovations in the biomedical field. One such innovation is the surface engineering of a membrane for enhanced longevity, efficient separation, and better throughput. Hence, surface engineering is widely used while developing membranes for its use in bioartificial organ development, separation processes, extracorporeal devices, etc. Chemical-based surface modifications are usually performed by functional group/biomolecule grafting, surface moiety modification, and altercation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. Further, creation of micro/nanogrooves, pillars, channel networks, and other topologies is achieved to modify physio-mechanical processes. These surface modifications facilitate improved cellular attachment, directional migration, and communication among the neighboring cells and enhanced diffusional transport of nutrients, gases, and waste across the membrane. These modifications, apart from improving functional efficiency, also help in overcoming fouling issues, biofilm formation, and infection incidences. Multiple strategies are adopted, like lysozyme enzymatic action, topographical modifications, nanomaterial coating, and antibiotic/antibacterial agent doping in the membrane to counter the challenges of biofilm formation, fouling challenges, and microbial invasion. Therefore, in the current review, we have comprehensibly discussed different types of membranes, their fabrication and surface modifications, antifouling/antibacterial strategies, and their applications in bioengineering. Thus, this review would benefit bioengineers and membrane scientists who aim to improve membranes for applications in tissue engineering, bioseparation, extra corporeal membrane devices, wound healing, and others.

A Polymer Canvas with the Stiffness of the Bone Matrix to Study and Control Mesenchymal Stem Cell Response.

Reproducing in vitro the complex multiscale physical features of human tissues creates novel biomedical opportunities and fundamental understanding of cell-environment interfaces and interactions. While stiffness has been recognized as a key driver of cell behavior, systematic studies on the role of stiffness have been limited to values in the KPa-MPa range, significantly below the stiffness of bone. Here, a platform enabling the tuning of the stiffness of a biocompatible polymeric interface up to values characteristic of human boneisreported, which are in the GPa range, by using extremely thin polymer films on glass and cross-linking the films using ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Itisshown that a higher stiffness is related to better adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation, and that it is possible to switch on/off cell attachment and growth by solely tuning the stiffness of the interface, without any surface chemistry or topography modification. Since the stiffness is tuned directly by UV irradiation, this platform is ideal for rapid and simple fabrication of stiffness patterns and gradients, thus representing an innovative tool for combinatorial studies of the synergistic effect of tissue environmental cues on cell behavior, and creates new opportunities for next-generation biosensors, single-cell patterning, and lab-on-a-chip devices.

Multiphysics modeling of femtosecond laser–copper interaction: From electron dynamics to plasma eruption

The femtosecond laser ablation of metals is a complex and violent nonequilibrium process, and numerous studies have sought to reveal the evolution of a single physical phenomenon, such as laser-induced periodic surface micro-nanostructures or plasma eruptions. By considering the multiphysics scenarios of energy and heat transfer, structural mechanics, hydrodynamics, and nucleation dynamics, a femto-nanosecond and nano-micrometer multiscale framework combining electron–phonon-coupled heat transfer, lattice deformation, phase transition, and plasma eruption was constructed to describe the heat and mass transfer mechanism of femtosecond laser–copper interaction. A multiphysics model was proposed in this study to simulate the ablation process with different laser fluences. Ablation occurs at low near-threshold fluences primarily via a combination of the thermal phase transition process of melting and thermoplastic deformation coupled with the nonthermal phase transition process of hot electron explosion. Marangoni convection and non-uniform nucleation at the solid–liquid interface create micro-nano structures on the surface of the ablation crater. At a high laser fluence, plasma plumes are emitted via gasification and eruption, and as the material is heated to decrease its density, the surface is broken into a micro-column structure, and then the micro-columns fracture and erupt to form micro-nano structures and plasma plumes. Numerical results offer a better understanding of surface topography modifications and plasma plume evolution and promote the application of femtosecond laser precision fabrication in the fields of aviation, mechanics, electronics, and materials engineering.

SURFACE TREATMENT OF BIOMEDICAL TEXTILE MADE OF POLYESTER MONOFILAMENT

Foreign Body Reaction is a critical issue to be addressed when polyethylene terephthalate textile implants are considered in the medical field to treat pathologies involving hernia repair, or heart valve replacement. The natural porosity of textile materials tends to induce exaggerated tissue ingrowth which may prevent the implants from remaining flexible. One hypothesized way to limit the Foreign Body Reaction process is to increase the material surface roughness. Supercritical jet particle projection is a technique that provides enough velocity to particles in order to generate plastic deformation on the impacted surface. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of micro particles laden supercritical nitrogen jet projection parameters like jet static pressure, standoff distance and particle size on the roughness of polyethylene terephthalate fabric surfaces. Results bring out that particles projected by supercritical nitrogen jet generate craters on the surface of monofilament as well as monofilament fabric, allowing topographical modifications at the yarn scale. Thus, this treatment increased the roughness of the monofilament fabric from 0.78 μm to 1.22 μm. Regarding the strength of the textile material, it is only slightly modified with the treatment process, as the tenacity of the yarns decreases by only 10%. In this work, it is revealed that the obtained structures tend to limit the adhesion and slow down the proliferation of human fibroblasts. The results obtained in this work show that it is possible to create a roughness on a polyethylene terephthalate fabric using the nitrogen jet technology.

Exploring the Physicochemical, Electroactive, and Biodelivery Properties of Metal Nanoparticles on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Despite the advances in the regeneration/rehabilitation field of damaged tissues, the functional recovery of peripheral nerves (PNs), especially in a long gap injury, is considered a great medical challenge. Recent progress in nanomedicine has provided great hope for PN regeneration through the strategy of controlling cell behavior by metal nanoparticles individually or loaded on scaffolds/conduits. Despite the confirmed toxicity of metal nanoparticles due to long-term accumulation in nontarget tissues, they play a role in the damaged PN regeneration based on the topography modification of scaffolds/conduits, enhancing neurotrophic factor secretion, the ion flow improvement, and the regulation of electrical signals. Determining the fate of neural progenitor cells would be a major achievement in PN regeneration, which seems to be achievable by metal nanoparticles through altering cell vital approaches and controlling their functions. Therefore, in this literature, an attempt was made to provide an overview of the effective activities of metal nanoparticles on the PN regeneration, until the vital clues of the PN regeneration and how they are changed by metal nanoparticles are revealed to the researcher.

Selective Topography Directed Cell Adhesion on Spider Silk Surfaces

AbstractFor tissue engineering applications, guided cell interaction with a biomaterial surface is one essential feature since, in natural tissue, cells constantly interact with their extracellular matrix, which provides different topographical, mechanical and biochemical stimuli. Therefore, the introduction of topographical surface features is one promising approach to direct material‐cell interactions. In this study, maskless lithography and soft lithographic methods are used to produce recombinant spider silk films with size gradient patterns, including grooves, circles, squares, triangles, and stars, to enhance specific cell attachment. The influence of surface features on cell behavior is analyzed using eight different cell lines. It can be shown that surface indentations provide cellular attachment sites and guiding structures for restructuring, aligning, and adopting cell morphology, with a relation of cell to feature size for some of the cell lines investigated. Therefore, specific topographical surface modifications can be used to guide selective cell adhesion, allowing the generation of tissue‐specifically modified implant surfaces in the future.

The behavior of plasma sprayed thermal barrier coating with laser microtextured bond coat under high temperature testing

In this work, the laser microtexturing is exploratory studied for controlling the interface between the oxidation resistant metallic bond coat and thermally insulating ceramic top coat in Thermal Barrier Coatings.The 80 to 100 μm thick NiCrAlY layer was deposited by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying over the nickel-based super alloy substrate. Then, the infrared fiber nanosecond laser was used for shaping the topography of bond coat prior to the top coat deposition. The surface geometry was adapted by selecting the laser set-up operational conditions, mainly: (i) laser power, (ii) frequency, (iii) scanning velocity and (iv) inter-pass spacing. The two groove-based patterns were finally selected for further work together with one as-sprayed bond coat, as a reference. The 8 wt% yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) was deposited by means of Suspension Plasma Spraying over all three types of bond coats. The samples were then subjected to isothermal oxidation and thermal cyclic fatigue testing in order to study the influence of bond coat topography on the overall behavior of coatings under high temperature conditions. The microstructural studies revealed that the as-sprayed bond coat topography may be progressively modified by multistep laser microtexturing. The uniform bond coat topography is found to be beneficial in promoting formation of homogeneous, columnar-like top coat. However, the modification of bond coat topography affects the behavior of the bond coat/top coat interface during high temperature testing. The study shows that the microtexture depth should be precisely controlled, otherwise the through bond coat thickness oxidation is observed, which has a detrimental effect on the overall durability of the TBC system. The bond coat asperity width plays also an important role. If it is too narrow, then the failure may propagate locally through the bond coat or the thermally grown oxide layer.

Cell-Specific Response of NSIP- and IPF-Derived Fibroblasts to the Modification of the Elasticity, Biological Properties, and 3D Architecture of the Substrate

The fibrotic fibroblasts derived from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) are surrounded by specific environments, characterized by increased stiffness, aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, and altered lung architecture. The presented research was aimed at investigating the effect of biological, physical, and topographical modification of the substrate on the properties of IPF- and NSIP-derived fibroblasts, and searching for the parameters enabling their identification. Soft and stiff polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was chosen for the basic substrates, the properties of which were subsequently tuned. To obtain the biological modification of the substrates, they were covered with ECM proteins, laminin, fibronectin, and collagen. The substrates that mimicked the 3D structure of the lungs were prepared using two approaches, resulting in porous structures that resemble natural lung architecture and honeycomb patterns, typical of IPF tissue. The growth of cells on soft and stiff PDMS covered with proteins, traced using fluorescence microscopy, confirmed an altered behavior of healthy and IPF- and NSIP-derived fibroblasts in response to the modified substrate properties, enabling their identification. In turn, differences in the mechanical properties of healthy and fibrotic fibroblasts, determined using atomic force microscopy working in force spectroscopy mode, as well as their growth on 3D-patterned substrates were not sufficient to discriminate between cell lines.

Surface Texturing and Combinatorial Approaches to Improve Biocompatibility of Implanted Biomaterials.

Biomaterial associated microbial infection and blood thrombosis are two of the barriers that inhibit the successful use of implantable medical devices in modern healthcare. Modification of surface topography is a promising approach to combat microbial infection and thrombosis without altering bulk material properties necessary for device function and without contributing to bacterial antibiotic resistance. Similarly, the use of other antimicrobial techniques such as grafting poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and nitric oxide (NO) release also improve the biocompatibility of biomaterials. In this review, we discuss the development of surface texturing techniques utilizing ordered submicron-size pillars for controlling bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, and we present combinatorial approaches utilizing surface texturing in combination with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafting and NO release to improve the biocompatibility of biomaterials. The manuscript also discusses efforts towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of bacterial adhesion responses to the surface texturing and NO releasing biomaterials, focusing on experimental aspects of the approach.

Glow discharge plasma stabilization of azo dye on PMMA polymer

The effects of argon gas glow discharge plasma on the surface of DR1 dye-loaded PMMA polymer films are examined in this work. Plasma immobilizes the dye on the surface of polymer without using stabilizers. Argon plasma activates the surface through breaking some bonds and generation of radical sites. It affects the acrylate groups of PMMA leading to covalent bonds between dye and surface of polymer. In addition, plasma treatment and contact with ambient air may result in the creation of new polar components, such as carbonyl and carboxyl compounds and links that enhance the dye attachment to the polymer matrix. Besides, the dye adsorption on the polymer film is impacted by changes in surface topography. Furthermore, plasma modifies the dye conformation, which affects the adherence of the dye to the polymer surface through bringing the dye to the higher energy state. The chemical and topographical modification of dye-loaded PMMA films by plasma are investigated by spectroscopic and AFM methods. Furthermore, aging process was used to confirm dye retention on the polymer film after plasma modification as opposed to dye-loaded polymer film that was left untreated as a reference sample. Finally, investigated method suggests a novel and very affordable technique for fabrication of poly(MMA-co-DR1) copolymer in the form of a homogeneous surface layer.

Laser-imprinting of micro-3D printed protein hydrogels enables real-time independent modification of substrate topography and elastic modulus

Independent control over the Young's modulus and topography of a hydrogel cell culture substrate is necessary to characterize how attributes of its adherent surface affect cellular responses. Arbitrary, real-time manipulation of these parameters at the micron scale would further provide cellular biologists and bioengineers with the tools to study and control numerous highly dynamic behaviors including cellular adhesion, motility, metastasis, and differentiation. Although physical, chemical, thermal, and light-based strategies have been developed to influence Young's modulus and topography of hydrogel substrates, independent control of these physical attributes has remained elusive, spatial resolution is often limited, and features commonly must be pre-patterned. We recently reported a strategy in which biomaterials having specified three-dimensional (3D) morphologies are micro-3D printed in a two-step process: laser-scanning bioprinting of a protein-based hydrogel, followed by biocompatible hydrogel re-scanning to create microscale imprinted features at user-defined times. In this approach, a pulsed near-infrared laser beam is focused within the printed hydrogel to promote matrix contraction through multiphoton crosslinking, where scanning the laser focus projects a user-defined topographical pattern on the surface without subjecting the hydrogel-solution interface to damaging light intensities. Here, we extend this strategy, demonstrating the ability to decouple dynamic topographical changes from changes in hydrogel Young's modulus at the substrate surface by increasing the isolation distance between the surface and re-scanning planes. Using atomic force microscopy, we show that robust topographic changes can be imposed without altering the Young's modulus measured at the substrate surface by scanning at a depth of greater than ∼6 μm. Transmission electron microscopy of hydrogel thin sections reveals changes to hydrogel porosity and density distribution within scanned regions, and that such changes to the hydrogel matrix are highly localized to regions of laser exposure. These results represent valuable new capabilities for deconvolving the effects of substrate dynamic physical attributes on the behavior of adherent cells.

Titanium Implant Surface Effects on Adherent Macrophage Phenotype: A Systematic Review.

Immunomodulatory biomaterials have the potential to stimulate an immune response able to promote constructive and functional tissue remodeling responses as opposed to persistent inflammation and scar tissue formation. As such, the controlled activation of macrophages and modulation of their phenotype through implant surface modification has emerged as a key therapeutic strategy. Methods: Online databases were searched for in vitro studies between January 1991 and June 2020 which examined the effect of titanium implant surface topography on the adherent macrophage phenotype at either the gene or protein level. Results: Thirty-nine studies were subsequently included for review. Although there was significant heterogeneity between studies, treatment of titanium surfaces increased the surface roughness or hydrophilicity, and hence increased macrophage attachment but decreased cell spreading. Physical coating of the titanium surface also tended to promote the formation of cell clusters. Titanium and titanium-zirconium alloy with a micro- or nano-scale rough topography combined with a hydrophilic surface chemistry were the most effective surfaces for inducing an anti-inflammatory phenotype in adherent macrophages, as indicated by significant changes in cytokine gene expression and or cytokine secretion profiles. Conclusions: The published data support the hypothesis that incorporation of specific topographical and physiochemical surface modifications to titanium can modulate the phenotypic response of adherent macrophages.

Evaluation of traditional rain-fed agricultural terraces for soil erosion control through UAV observation in the middle mountain of Nepal

The livelihood of most people in the mountainous region of Nepal depends on traditional farming practices. Farmers modify their lands by constructing narrow outward sloping terraces to control soil erosion in the mountain and hill of Nepal. However, preliminary observation reveals that farmers adopt different strategies to manage outward sloping terraces according to the amount of rainfall so as to avoid the impact from soil erosion due to excessive rainfall. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the traditional practice of topographic management of outward sloping rain-fed terraces to control soil erosion. The study makes a comparative analysis of topographic values of terraces and the estimated rates of soil erosion in different rainfall regions. Topographic values were derived from high spatial resolution (20 cm) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data acquired by Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to estimate the rate of soil erosion based on this high-resolution DEM together with other required variables. The research revealed that the traditional practice of topographic modification is highly effective to control soil erosion, as no significant differences in the rates of soil erosion were found even though the amount of rainfall considerably varies at different sites.

Surface evolution of InP substrates at the frontier between deoxidation and dissolution in HCl solutions

Surfaces of InP substrates with different crystallographic orientations are investigated when facing HCl solutions. The immersion of InP(100) in HCl solutions with a wide concentrations range showed that the frontier between deoxidation and dissolution is around 6 m, with a morphological destructuration. However, no chemical evolutions are noticed even at high concentrations. Similar observations were performed with other crystallographic orientations (polycrystalline and InP(111) substrates), with topographic surface modifications but no chemical ones.

Tunable superhydrophobic titanium nitride surface by ultrafast laser processing

The interaction of water droplets to the engineered hierarchical surface structures depends on the synergy between the topographical and chemical modifications. In this work, we develop an ultrafast laser processing technology to create a robust superhydrophobic nanostructured titanium nitride (TiN) surface. The process is based on the manipulation of the surface geometry and the low-pressure technique's accelerated adsorption of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The laser-processed surfaces are composed of nanoscale geometry overlapped with porous, spongy structures. The metal oxides formed on the TiN surface were hydrophilic and subjected to accelerated VOC adsorption by low-pressure technique via condensation reaction with surface hydroxyl groups formed by heterolytic adsorption of water molecules from the environment. The decrease of surface energy due to the presence of adsorbed hydrocarbons and the topography of the nanostructures allow the trapping of small volumes of air. The presence of a layer of air favour the Cassie-Baxter state of wetting state. Static contact angles ranging from 155 to 180° have been reached depending on the geometry of the nanostructures. A comparative study of vacuum processed and aged (15 days) samples under atmospheric conditions were also performed. The chemical analysis by XPS demonstrates that the water molecules attached to hydroxyl groups passivate these reactive sites and hinder the adsorption of VOC, decreasing the adsorption rate drastically under aging in atmosphereic conditions. In contrast, it is enhanced under low-pressure conditions due to the reduced amount of water vapour.

Peek in dental implant- A review of literature

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is an important material which is used in several dental field like oral implantology, prosthodontic, orthodontic dentistry for dental implants, abutments, healing caps, orthodontic braces, and most importantly denture prosthetic framework. The best mechanical property of PEEK is that it overcomes the disadvantage of titanium implants i.e., aesthetic and allergic reaction. The aim of this article is to mainly focus on the surface modification of PEEK implant material to make it a better version of dental implant so that it overcomes the bioactivity and bone-integrity of the implant then the fabrication, structure, properties, and application, surface topographical modification and bioactive PEEK composites are described.