Chan-Hee Park

Systematic understanding of corrosion behavior of plasma electrolytic oxidation treated AZ31 magnesium alloy using a mouse model of subcutaneous implant.

This study was conducted to identify the differences between corrosion rates, corrosion types, and corrosion products in different physiological environments for AZ31 magnesium alloy and plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) treated AZ31 magnesium alloy. In vitro and in vivo tests were performed in Hanks Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and mice for 12 weeks, respectively. The corrosion rates of both AZ31 magnesium alloy and PEO treated AZ31 magnesium alloy were calculated based on DC polarization curves, volume of hydrogen evolution, and the thickness of corrosion products formed on the surface. Micro X-ray computed tomography (Micro-CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze morphological and chemical characterizations of corrosion products. The results show that there is more severe localized corrosion after in vitro test in HBSS; however, the thicknesses of corrosion products formed on the surface for AZ31 magnesium alloy and PEO treated AZ31 magnesium alloy in vivo were about 40% thicker than the thickness of corrosion products generated in vitro. The ratio of Ca and P (Ca/P) in the corrosion products also differed. The Ca deficient region and higher content of Al in corrosion product than AZ31 magnesium alloy were identified after in vivo test in contrast with the result of in vitro test.

Preparation and characterization of (polyurethane/nylon-6) nanofiber/ (silicone) film composites via electrospinning and dip-coating

This paper reports on the preparation and characterization of nanofibers and nanofiber/film composites fabricated by electrospinning and dip-coating. The polymers in this study consist of polyurethane, nylon-6, and silicone. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fiber distribution, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and tensile tests were conducted. The electrospun nylon-6 nanofiber/dip-coated silicone film (dried for 5 min) showed the optimum tensile strength and strain results, showing an increase in tensile strength of 63 % compared to pure nylon-6 nanofiber alone. XRD and FTIR verified the presence of individual polymers in the composite matrix. The electrospun PU nanofiber produced the biggest fiber diameter, while electrospun nylon-6, and PU/nylon-6 produced uniform fiber diameters, with PU/nylon-6 obtaining very random and curved fiber morphology.

Fabrication, characterization and biomedical application of two-nozzle electrospun polycaprolactone/zein-calcium lactate composite nonwoven mat.

The objective of the current work is to incorporate calcium lactate (CL) into polycaprolactone (PCL)/zein composite micro/nanofibrous scaffolds via electrospinning to engineer bone tissue. In this study, a composite micro/nano fibrous scaffold was fabricated using a single two-nozzle electrospinning system to combine indicative nanofibers from a blended solution of zein-CL and micro-sized fibers from a PCL solution. Incorporation of the CL into the PCL/zein fibers were shown to improve the wettability, tensile strength and biological activity of the composite mats. Moreover, the composite mats have a high efficiency to nucleate calcium phosphate from simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. An in vitro cell culture with osteoblast cells demonstrated that the electrospun composite mats possessed improved biological properties, including a better cell adhesion, spread and proliferation. This study has demonstrated that the PCL/zein-CL composite provides a simple platform to fabricate a new biomimetic scaffold for bone tissue engineering, which can recapitulate both the morphology of extracellular matrix and composition of the bone.

Creation of a functional graded nanobiomembrane using a new electrospinning system for drug release control and an in vitro validation of drug release behavior of the coating membrane

Functional graded nanobiomembranes (FGMs) with multiple layers were created by a single process using a novel electrospinning system equipped with a generator and a PCI type motion board as a controller in order to control the drug release rate. By varying physical apparatus-related parameters such as nozzle-to-collector distance via a robot and the collector moving velocity the FGMs were formed. For the membrane base layer, poly-(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with paclitaxel (PTX) was dissolved in a solvent (dichloromethane, N,N-dimethylformamide) and electrospun. For the top layers, the PCL solution was electrospun according to the distance and FGM system parameters, which can move the collector location at a constant ratio. It was observed that pore size, porosity, and permeability were higher when the membrane was spun at the far distance. The top surface of FGM is more porous, rougher, more permeable, and more hydrophilic so as to be active to the surrounding tissue cells. Meanwhile, the porous inside membrane was as low as the membrane spun at a close distance. Thus it induced a slow drug release due to the internal structure of FGM, which is considered to be very effective for slow drug release as well as bioactivity and bioconductivity.

Development of a novel drug-eluting stent consisting of an abluminal and luminal coating layer dual therapy system

The aim of this study was to develop a dual drug-coated stent using a bi-directional coating system. Sirolimus (SRL) was coated onto the abluminal area of the stent to prevent restenosis, and WKYMVm, a peptide for endothelial homing, was coated onto the luminal area of the stent to enhance endothelialization. To verify the bidirectional coating of materials, various morphological analysis was carried out by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. The release velocities of the drugs coated onto the luminal and abluminal surfaces of the stent were investigated by using instruments that mimic the body’s circulation system. The proliferation of smooth muscle cells was inhibited by SRL, whereas the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was enhanced by WKYMVm. This study demonstrated that it is feasible to separate coating layers of the stent strut with new coating technology for the bi-directional function of drugs.

Characterization and Photocatalytic Efficiency of TiO2/Ti Beads Fabricated by Simple Heat-Treatment

The goal of the present study was to investigate the photocatalytic efficiency of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) formed on titanium (Ti) bead substrate (referred herein as TiO 2 /Ti beads) by heat treatment when exposing to ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Escherichia coli was used as the model test organism. The results show 4-log and 7-log decrease in bacterial concentration after a test time of 15 and 120 min, respectively, using TiO 2 /Ti beads irradiated with UV light in a tin-foil covered beaker. This article presents the potential of TiO 2 on Ti bead substrate formed by simple heat-treatment together with UV light for bacterial inactivation.

Efficacy of zinc and tourmaline in mitigating corrosion of carbon steel in non-flow mode

Laboratory corrosion immersion tests were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of a physical water treatment (PWT) using zinc and ceramic tourmaline-based catalytic materials for the control of carbon steel corrosion in acidic still water (i.e., pH 4.5–5). The tests were carried out at different water temperatures over 168 h. Our results showed a maximum of 22 % reduction in the corrosion rate using PWT in comparison with the control case. Furthermore, the corrosion products depicted more agglomerated particles after the PWT treatment. In both cases, differences were observed in the crystal structures, showing in general lower corrosion activity when PWT was used. The present results could find potential applications in water distribution systems and where metallic materials are exposed to stagnant acidic water.

Effect of laser polishing on the surface roughness and corrosion resistance of Nitinol stents

In this paper, we investigated the effect of laser polishing at different treatment times on the surface roughness and corrosion resistance of a biliary nickel-titanium (NiTi or Nitinol) stent. A specific area of the stent wire surface was checked for changes in roughness by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a noncontact profilometer. The corrosion resistance was assessed by potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The surface characterization revealed that laser polishing reduced the surface roughness of stent by 34-64% compared to that of the as-received stent surface condition depending on the treatment time (i.e., 700-1600 μm). Measurements using potentiodynamic polarization in simulated body fluid solution showed better anti-corrosion performance of laser-polished stent compared to magnetically-polished stent and has comparable corrosion resistance with the as-received stent condition. In this paper, we have shown a preliminary study on the potential of laser polishing for the improvement of surface roughness of stent without affecting much its corrosion resistance.

A novel electrical potential sensing method for in vitro stent fracture monitoring and detection

This article describes a preliminary investigation and prototype fabrication of a novel potential sensing method to continuously monitor vascular stent fractures. A potential measurement system consisting of Wheatstone bridge circuit and signal conditioning circuit was designed for the cardiovascular stent durability and fatigue test. Each end of a bare and polyurethane-covered Nitinol vascular stent was electrically connected to the potential measurement system and then immersed either in simulated body fluid (SBF) media or distilled water at 36.4 ± 1 °C. When the stent experienced fracture (i.e., a cut), its electrical potential decreased with an increase in electrical resistance. This method successfully measured fractures in the stent regardless of location. Furthermore, the number of cycles at the onset of stent fracture was accurately detected and continuously monitored using this technique. Thus, the present fracture detection method, which to our knowledge is the first ever report to use electrical potential measurement for stent durability test, gives a fast, real-time, accurate and efficient detection of fractures in stent during in vitro fatigue and durability test.

Preliminary Study for Measurement of Shear Stress and Hemocompatibility Using Commercialized Lab on a Chip

We have investigated the effect of flow rate on shear stress and in turn thrombus formation on a lab-on-a-chip with a microchannel that is suitable for cell culture and growth. Using a combination of Arduino UNO, Arduino Motor Shield, and a SERVO stepper motor, we created a pump system that closely mimics the in vivo conditions of the human body. With this system, we achieved continuous flow of blood and observed attached platelets at the bottom of the collagen coated microslide, confirming that with shear stress, thrombus formation increases.