Development of Multifunctional Materials Based on Poly(ether ether ketone) with Improved Biological Performances for Dental Applications.

The main target for the future of materials in dentistry aims to develop dental implants that will have optimal integration with the surrounding tissues, while preventing or avoiding bacterial infections. In this project, poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), known for its suitable biocompa-tibility and mechanical properties for dental applications, was loaded with 1, 3, and 5 wt.% ZnO nanoparticles to provide antibacterial properties and improve interaction with cells.

Surface modification and direct plasma amination of L605 CoCr alloys: on the optimization of the oxide layer for application in cardiovascular implants.

Stents are cardiovascular devices used to treat atherosclerosis, and are deployed into narrowed arteries and implanted by expansion to reopen the biological lumen. Nevertheless, complications after implantation are still observed in 10-14% of the implantations. Therefore, functionalizing these devices with active molecules to improve the interfacial effects with the surrounding tissue strongly impacts their success.

Real-Time Study of the Adsorption and Grafting Process of Biomolecules by Means of Bloch Surface Wave Biosensors.

A combined label-free and fluorescence surface optical technique was used to quantify the mass deposited in binary biomolecular coatings. These coatings were constituted by fibronectin (FN), to stimulate endothelialization, and phosphorylcholine (PRC), for its hemocompatibility, which are two properties of relevance for cardiovascular applications. One-dimensional photonic crystals sustaining a Bloch surface wave were used to characterize different FN/PRC coatings deposited by a combination of adsorption and grafting processes.

A comparison of adsorbed and grafted fibronectin coatings under static and dynamic conditions.

Coatings for medical devices are expected to improve their surface biocompatibility mainly by being bioactive, i.e. stimulating healing-oriented interactions with living cells, tissues and organs.

Fibronectin adsorption on surface-modified polyetherurethanes and their differentiated effect on specific blood elements related to inflammatory and clotting processes.

After the introduction of a medical device into the body, adhesive proteins such as fibronectin (Fn) will adsorb to the surface of the biomaterial. Monocytes (MCs) will interact with these adsorbed proteins, and adopt either a proinflammatory and/or prowound healing phenotype, thereby influencing many blood interaction events including thrombogenesis. In this work, Fn adsorption as well as subsequent MC response and thrombus formation were investigated on two surfaces-modified polyetherurethanes (PEUs) using different surface modifiers: an anionic/dihydroxyl oligomeric (ADO) additive, known to enable cell adhesion, and a fluorinated polypropylene oxide oligomer (PPO), known to reduce platelet adhesion.