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Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 13568

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Margarita D. Apostolova

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Guest Editor

Medical and Biological Research Lab., Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: bionanotechnology; nanotoxicology; regenerative medicine; proteomics; tissue engineering; genomics

Prof. Dr. Maria Nikolova

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Guest Editor

Department of Material Science and Technology, University of Ruse “A. Kanchev”, 8 Studentska Str., 7017 Ruse, Bulgaria
Interests: materials science; biocompatible materials; PVD coatings; functional and active surfaces; nanocomposites; bioapplication

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterials experience intensive development by rational design directed towards exploitation in cutting-edge clinical applications relevant to prosthetic, therapeutic, and diagnostic modalities. The Special Issue “Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications” highlights recent developments, opportunities, and challenges in nanostructured materials and nanotechnologies used in diverse biomedical applications. In vitro and in vivo behavior of nanostructured metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, macromolecules, and self-assembling or stimuli-responsive nanomaterials are considered. The fascinating developments include biomedical applications like target drug delivery, hyperthermia, dentistry, immune-engineering, tissue regeneration or replacement, biomedical diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Nanostructured materials for special medical needs face new challenges with compatibility, bioactivity, bio-nano interfacial properties, and nanotoxicity. Therefore, the issue aims to cover an extensive range of topics related to the latest trends in processing, physicochemical and biological characterization, and the challenges of nanoscale systems in the context of biomedical application.

This special Issue on Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications devotes articles to various aspects of fundamental understanding of the unique properties of nanomaterials for bioapplication, nanomaterials production, structure, properties, biotoxicity, and provides up-to-date information for a wide range of nanostructured materials with an application in nano-biomedicine. Given the vast range of applications of nanomaterials in the biomedical domain, this issue will seek an interdisciplinary audience such as biomedical engineers, molecular biologists, material and pharmaceutical scientists. Full papers, reviews, and communications are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Margarita D. Apostolova
Prof. Dr. Maria Nikolova
Guest Editors

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Keywords

nanomaterials, biomedicine
nanotoxicity, biomaterials
nanofabrication, tissue engineering
nanotherapy
biomedical engineering
nanoscience

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3186 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of the Surface Properties of Polyether Ether Ketone via Arc Evaporation for Biomedical Applications

by Alexander Y. Fedotkin, Igor O. Akimchenko, Tuan-Hoang Tran, Artur R. Shugurov, Evgeniy V. Shesterikov, Anna I. Kozelskaya, Sven Rutkowski and Sergei I. Tverdokhlebov

Materials 2023, 16(8), 2990; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16082990 - 09 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1519

Abstract

Polyether ether ketone is a bioinert polymer, that is of high interest in research and medicine as an alternative material for the replacement of bone implants made of metal. The biggest deficit of this polymer is its hydrophobic surface, which is rather unfavorable for cell adhesion and thus leads to slow osseointegration. In order to address this drawback, 3D-printed and polymer extruded polyether ether ketone disc samples that were surface-modified with titanium thin films of four different thicknesses via arc evaporation were investigated and compared with non-modified disc samples. Depending on the modification time, the thickness of the coatings ranged from 40 nm to 450 nm. The 3D-printing process does not affect the surface or bulk properties of polyether ether ketone. It turned out that the chemical composition of the coatings obtained did not depend on the type of substrate. Titanium coatings contain titanium oxide and have an amorphous structure. Microdroplets formed on the sample surfaces during treatment with an arc evaporator contain a rutile phase in their composition. Surface modification of the samples via arc evaporation resulted in an increase in the arithmetic mean roughness from 20 nm to 40 nm for the extruded samples and from 40 nm to 100 nm for the 3D-printed samples, with the mean height difference increasing from 100 nm to 250 nm and from 140 nm to 450 nm. Despite the fact that the hardness and reduced elastic modulus of the unmodified 3D-printed samples (0.33 GPa and 5.80 GPa) are higher than those of the unmodified extruded samples (0.22 GPa and 3.40 GPa), the surface properties of the samples after modification are approximately the same. The water contact angles of the polyether ether ketone sample surfaces decrease from 70° to 10° for the extruded samples and from 80° to 6° for the 3D-printed samples as the thickness of the titanium coating increases, making this type of coating promising for biomedical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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19 pages, 4912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Biocompatibility Study of Plasma Nanocoatings onto Cobalt Chromium L605 Alloy for Cardiovascular Stent Applications

by Thithuha Phan, John E. Jones, Meng Chen, Doug K. Bowles, William P. Fay and Qingsong Yu

Materials 2022, 15(17), 5968; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15175968 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1765

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of trimethylsilane (TMS) plasma nanocoatings modified with NH₃/O₂ (2:1 molar ratio) plasma post-treatment onto cobalt chromium (CoCr) L605 alloy coupons and stents for cardiovascular stent applications. Biocompatibility of plasma nanocoatings was evaluated by coating adhesion, corrosion behavior, ion releasing, cytotoxicity, and cell proliferation. Surface chemistry and wettability were studied to understand effects of surface properties on biocompatibility. Results show that NH₃/O₂ post-treated TMS plasma nanocoatings are hydrophilic with water contact angle of 48.5° and have a typical surface composition of O (39.39 at.%), Si (31.92 at.%), C (24.12 at.%), and N (2.77 at.%). The plasma nanocoatings were conformal to substrate surface topography and had excellent adhesion to the alloy substrates, as assessed by tape test (ASTM D3359), and showed no cracking or peeling off L605 stent surfaces after dilation. The plasma nanocoatings also improve the corrosion resistance of CoCr L605 alloy by increasing corrosion potential and decreasing corrosion rates with no pitting corrosion and no mineral adsorption layer. Ion releasing test revealed that Co, Cr, and Ni ion concentrations were reduced by 64–79%, 67–69%, and 57–72%, respectively, in the plasma-nanocoated L605 samples as compared to uncoated L605 control samples. The plasma nanocoatings showed no sign of cytotoxicity from the test results according to ISO 10993-05 and 10993-12. Seven-day cell culture demonstrated that, in comparison with the uncoated L605 control surfaces, the plasma nanocoating surfaces showed 62 ± 7.3% decrease in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells (PCASMCs) density and had comparable density of porcine coronary artery endothelial cells (PCAECs). These results suggest that TMS plasma nanocoatings with NH₃/O₂ plasma post-treatment possess the desired biocompatibility for stent applications and support the hypothesis that nanocoated stents could be very effective for in-stent restenosis prevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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24 pages, 4330 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Amaryllis vittata (L.) Herit: From Antimicrobial to Biomedical Applications

by Sehrish Asad, Natasha Anwar, Mohib Shah, Zeeshan Anwar, Muhammad Arif, Mamoona Rauf, Kazim Ali, Muddaser Shah, Waheed Murad, Ghadeer M. Albadrani, Ahmed E. Altyar and Mohamed M. Abdel-Daim

Materials 2022, 15(16), 5478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15165478 - 09 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2022

Abstract

The current study sought to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Amaryllis vittata (L.) leaf and bulb extracts in order to determine their biological significance and use the toxic plants for human health benefits. The formation of silver nanoparticles was detected by a change in color from whitish to brown for bulb-AgNPs and from light green to dark brown for leaf-AgNPs. For the optimization of silver nanoparticles, various experimental physicochemical parameters such as pH, temperature, and salt were determined. UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray dispersion spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersion spectroscopy analysis were used to characterize nanoparticles. Despite the fact that flavonoids in plant extracts were implicated in the reduction and capping procedure, the prepared nanoparticles demonstrated maximum absorbency between 400 and 500 nm. SEM analysis confirmed the preparation of monodispersed spherical crystalline particles with fcc structure. The bioinspired nanoparticles were found to show effective insecticidal activity against Tribolium castaneum and phytotoxic activity against Lemna aequincotialis. In comparison to plant extracts alone, the tested fabricated nanoparticles showed significant potential to scavenge free radicals and relieve pain. Antibacterial testing against human pathogenic strains, i.e., Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aureginosa, and antifungal testing against Aspergillus niger revealed the significant potential for microbe resistance using AgNPs. As a result of the findings, the tested silver nanoparticles demonstrated promising potential for developing new and effective pharmacological and agricultural medications. Furthermore, the effects of biogenic AgNPs on an in vitro culture of Solanum tuberosum L. plants were investigated, and the findings indicated that bulb-AgNPs and leaf-AgNPs produced biomass and induced antioxidants via their active constituents. As a result, bulb-AgNPs and leaf-AgNPs may be recommended for use in Solanum tuberosum L. tissue culture for biomass fabrication and metabolic induction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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19 pages, 5316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gallic Acid-Functionalized, TiO₂-Based Nanomaterial—Preparation, Physicochemical and Biological Properties

by Pawel Bakun, Beata Czarczynska-Goslinska, Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk, Marika Musielak, Kinga Mylkie, Jolanta Dlugaszewska, Tomasz Koczorowski, Wiktoria M. Suchorska, Marta Ziegler-Borowska, Tomasz Goslinski and Rafal Krakowiak

Materials 2022, 15(12), 4177; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15124177 - 13 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2091

Abstract

Wound healing and skin tissue regeneration remain the most critical challenges faced by medical professionals. Titanium(IV) oxide-based materials were proposed as components of pharmaceutical formulations for the treatment of difficult-to-heal wounds and unsightly scarring. A gallic acid-functionalized TiO₂ nanomaterial (TiO₂-GA) was obtained using the self-assembly technique and characterized using the following methods: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetry (TG). Additionally, physicochemical and biological tests (DPPH assay, Microtox^® acute toxicity test, MTT assay) were performed to assess antioxidant properties as well as to determine the cytotoxicity of the novel material against eukaryotic (MRC-5 pd19 fibroblasts) and prokaryotic (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Aliivibrio fischeri) cells. To determine the photocytotoxicity of the material, specific tests were carried out with and without exposure to visible light lamps (425 nm). Following the results, the TiO₂-GA material could be considered an additive to dressings and rinsing suspensions for the treatment of difficult-to-heal wounds that are at risk of bacterial infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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53 pages, 4960 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Advances in Multifunctional Bioactive Coatings for Metallic Bone Implants

by Maria P. Nikolova and Margarita D. Apostolova

Materials 2023, 16(1), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010183 - 25 Dec 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4921

Abstract

To fix the bone in orthopedics, it is almost always necessary to use implants. Metals provide the needed physical and mechanical properties for load-bearing applications. Although widely used as biomedical materials for the replacement of hard tissue, metallic implants still confront challenges, among which the foremost is their low biocompatibility. Some of them also suffer from excessive wear, low corrosion resistance, infections and shielding stress. To address these issues, various coatings have been applied to enhance their in vitro and in vivo performance. When merged with the beneficial properties of various bio-ceramic or polymer coatings remarkable bioactive, osteogenic, antibacterial, or biodegradable composite implants can be created. In this review, bioactive and high-performance coatings for metallic bone implants are systematically reviewed and their biocompatibility is discussed. Updates in coating materials and formulations for metallic implants, as well as their production routes, have been provided. The ways of improving the bioactive coating performance by incorporating bioactive moieties such as growth factors, osteogenic factors, immunomodulatory factors, antibiotics, or other drugs that are locally released in a controlled manner have also been addressed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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