Dr. Eduin Ivan González Castillo

Former visiting researcher (FunGlass Centre, Trencin, Slovakia)

Mesoporous silica (nano)particle containing chitosan nanocomposite coatings with osteogenic and antibacterial properties

 

Supervisors: Dr. Liliana Liverani, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

The performance of prosthesis is strongly dependent upon their surface microstructure. Biological events such as protein adsorption, cell adhesion and proliferation, and inflammatory response are heavily influenced by the prosthesis surface characteristics. Coatings are particularly attractive to develop and to tailor a wide range of specific properties without affecting the bulk material [1]. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a technique of great interest because of coating mass and thickness control, and large range of materials suitable to be used, for instance, biomaterials, composites, and nanocomposites [2]. Regarding nanocomposites, chitosan (CHT)-based nanocomposite coatings that incorporate mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) could have great potential as multifunctional materials. The aim of this project is the development and optimisation of CHT-MSPs nanocomposite coatings prepared by using EPD to enhance and to tailor osteogenic and antibacterial properties. This project is being carried out in the context of the collaboration between the FAU Institute of Biomaterials and the Centre for Functional and Surface Funtionalized Glass (FunGlass) (LINK: https://www.funglass.eu/ ) at Alexander Dubček University of Trenčin, Slovakia.

[1] Raphel J, et al., Multifunctional coatings to simultaneously promote osseointegration and prevent infection of orthopaedic implants, Biomaterials. 84, (2016) 301-314.

[2] Boccaccini AR, et al., Electrophoretic deposition of biomaterials, J. R. Soc. Interface 7 (2010), S581–S613.