Seminar announcement, November 26 2018, Advanced ceramics for biomedical applications by Elia Marin, Assistant Professor at the Kyoto Institute of Technology.
READ MORE: Apart from their chemical composition and mechanical properties, morphological parameters such as specific surface area and porosity are also crucial in controlling the response of biological tissues to bio-materials. Smooth surfaces are naturally resistant to cellular adhesion, but the effect can be further enhanced by applying a nanometric texture which will result in a super hydrophobic surface. As the surface roughness increases, so does cell adhesion. Roughness values in the range of micrometers are usually necessary to grant a good degree of integration for orthopedic implants such as spinal cages. Relatively larger porosities, in the range of hundreds of microns, allow bone ingrowth and promote osseointegration. This research presents and compares different strategies used to optimize the surface roughness and porosity of various biomaterials, from titanium alloy scaffolds to texturized ceramics, polymers and composites.