Most cited article - PubMed ID 22078024
Annealing of gold nanostructures sputtered on polytetrafluoroethylene
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has good chemical and biomechanical properties that are excellent for biomedical applications. However, PEEK exhibits hydrophobic and other surface characteristics which cause limited cell adhesion. We have investigated the potential of Ar plasma treatment for the formation of a nanostructured PEEK surface in order to enhance cell adhesion. The specific aim of this study was to reveal the effect of the interface of plasma-treated and gold-coated PEEK matrices on adhesion and spreading of mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The surface characteristics (polarity, surface chemistry, and structure) before and after treatment were evaluated by various experimental techniques (gravimetry, goniometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrokinetic analysis). Further, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to examine PEEK surface morphology and roughness. The biological response of cells towards nanostructured PEEK was evaluated in terms of cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation. Detailed cell morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Compared to plasma treatment, gold coating improved PEEK wettability. The XPS method showed a decrease in the carbon concentration with increasing time of plasma treatment. Cell adhesion determined on the interface between plasma-treated and gold-coated PEEK matrices was directly proportional to the thickness of a gold layer on a sample. Our results suggest that plasma treatment in a combination with gold coating could be used in biomedical applications requiring enhanced cell adhesion.
Antimicrobial biocompatible polymers form a group of highly desirable materials in medicinal technology that exhibit interesting thermal and mechanical properties, and high chemical resistance. There are numerous types of polymers with antimicrobial activity or antimicrobial properties conferred through their proper modification. In this review, we focus on the second type of polymers, especially those whose antimicrobial activity is conferred by nanotechnology. Nanotechnology processing is a developing area that exploits the antibacterial effects of broad-scale compounds, both organic and inorganic, to form value-added medical devices. This work gives an overview of nanostructured antimicrobial agents, especially silver ones, used together with biocompatible polymers as effective antimicrobial composites in healthcare. The bactericidal properties of non-conventional antimicrobial agents are compared with those of conventional ones and the advantages and disadvantages are discussed.
- Keywords
- antimicrobials, biocompatibility, medical devices, modification, nanostructures, polymers,
- MeSH
- Anti-Infective Agents administration & dosage chemistry MeSH
- Biocompatible Materials chemistry MeSH
- Disinfection * methods MeSH
- Cross Infection microbiology prevention & control transmission MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Nanostructures * chemistry ultrastructure MeSH
- Nanotechnology MeSH
- Polymers * chemistry MeSH
- Surface Properties MeSH
- Silver * chemistry MeSH
- Equipment and Supplies * microbiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Anti-Infective Agents MeSH
- Biocompatible Materials MeSH
- Polymers * MeSH
- Silver * MeSH
Silver nanolayers were sputtered on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and subsequently transformed into discrete nanoislands by thermal annealing. The Ag/PTFE composites prepared under different conditions were characterized by several complementary methods (goniometry, UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy), and new data on the mechanism of Ag layer growth and Ag atom clustering under annealing were obtained. Biocompatibility of selected Ag/PTFE composites was studied in vitro using vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) cultures. Despite of the well-known inhibitory properties of silver nanostructures towards broad spectrum of bacterial strains and cells, it was found that very thin silver coating stimulates both adhesion and proliferation of VSMCs.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
A novel procedure for biopolymer surface nanostructuring with defined surface roughness and pattern dimension is presented. The surface properties of sputtered platinum layers on the biocompatible polymer poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) are presented. The influence of thermal treatment on surface morphology and electrical resistance and Pt distribution in ca. 100 nm of altered surface is described. The thickness, roughness and morphology of Pt structures were determined by atomic force microscopy. Surface sheet resistance was studied by a two-point technique. It was the sequence of Pt layer sputtering followed by thermal treatment that dramatically changed the structure of the PLLA's surface. Depending on the Pt thickness, the ripple-like and worm-like patterns appeared on the surface for thinner and thicker Pt layers, respectively. Electrokinetic analysis confirmed the Pt coverage of PLLA and the slightly different behaviour of non-annealed and annealed surfaces. The amount and distribution of platinum on the PLLA is significantly altered by thermal annealing.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
