Miguel Manso

Electrodeposition of hydroxyapatite coatings in basic conditions

Hydroxyapatite films have been grown in this work by an electrodeposition method involving both physical and chemical processes and presenting several differences with respect to other reported works. Description of the coating formation is based on the evolution of current through the sample placed as positive electrode in the basic electrolyte. The characterisation of hydroxyapatite films is of special importance since the bioactive properties related to HAP have been directly identified with its specific composition (Ca/P ratio) and crystalline structure. This characterisation has been traditionally fulfilled by the use of XRD, FTIR and SEM. Results of a further characterisation of the coatings by TEM and SFM, additional to the analysis by XRD, FTIR and SEM, are presented. Interpretation and comparison of our results with those obtained by other electrodeposition methods lead to arguments in favour of a deposition produced directly from ionic species.

Low Temperature Preparation of High Refractive Index and Mechanically Resistant Sol-gel TiO2 Films for Multilayer Antireflective Coating Applications

TiO2 sol-gel thin films have attracted a large attention for applications which require high refractive index transparent layers. In this work, sol-gel TiO2 layers were prepared by Aerosol-gel deposition followed by a thermal treatment procedure in air. Depending on the experimental conditions, abrasion resistant and high refractive index layers could be obtained after post-treatment at only 110°C. In this paper, the experimental parameters which allow the preparation of functional TiO2 sol-gel layers at such low temperature are discussed. It is concluded that the preparation of high refractive index and mechanically resistant TiO2 layers can be interpreted in terms of competition between polycondensation and densification mechanisms. This result allows to envisage the sol-gel processing at low temperature of multilayer antireflective coatings.

Optical biosensors based on semiconductor nanostructures.

The increasing availability of semiconductor-based nanostructures with novel and unique properties has sparked widespread interest in their use in the field of biosensing. The precise control over the size, shape and composition of these nanostructures leads to the accurate control of their physico-chemical properties and overall behavior. Furthermore, modifications can be made to the nanostructures to better suit their integration with biological systems, leading to such interesting properties as enhanced aqueous solubility, biocompatibility or bio-recognition. In the present work, the most significant applications of semiconductor nanostructures in the field of optical biosensing will be reviewed. In particular, the use of quantum dots as fluorescent bioprobes, which is the most widely used application, will be discussed. In addition, the use of some other nanometric structures in the field of biosensing, including porous semiconductors and photonic crystals, will be presented.

Testing sol–gel CaTiO3 coatings for biocompatible applications

Abstract In the present work, CaTiO 3 films with thicknesses of 4 μm have been prepared by sol–gel spin-coating process. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy disperse X-ray spectroscopy to study the chemical, structural and morphological changes produced by annealing treatments. Polycrystalline coatings with a perovskite structure were obtained at temperatures of 800 °C. These films grown on mirror-like surfaces show good adherence and develop a rough microstructured surface. The biomimetic properties were assayed by evaluating the growth of apatite in simulated body fluids (SBF). We conclude that the coatings are of potential interest in order to enhance the surface properties of Ti-based prosthetic alloys.

Mechanical and in vitro testing of aerosol–gel deposited titania coatings for biocompatible applications

The biocompatible properties of sol-gel litania have increased the interest in the mechanical properties of this material in the form of functional coatings for prosthetic applications. In the present work. titania coatings with thicknesses of 1 microm have been prepared using the aerosol gel process. The main objective has been to evaluate the mechanical properties of the coatings and to prove their in-vitro biocompatibility. For this purpose, the hardness and Youngs modulus of the coatings were measured by nanoindentation with loads in the 6-30 mN range. A continuous increase of these magnitudes was observed for the coatings treated at increasing sintering temperatures (150-800 degrees C). The hardness and the Youngs modulus ranged between 15.8-19.5 GPa and 142-186 GPa, respectively. This behaviour has been confirmed by measurements of the plastic energy of deformation in 10 mN full loading unloading tests and by determination of the mean indentation creep under 30 mN loads. The films were additionally characterised by XRD. FTIR and ellipsometry to study the chemical and structural changes produced by sintering. Biocompatibility tests are very conclusive. Cells seeded on aerosol-gel titania coatings grow while adhered onto the surface. These coatings are thus of potential interest for the enhancement of the properties of prosthetic TiAlV alloys.

Biological evaluation of aerosol–gel-derived hydroxyapatite coatings with human mesenchymal stem cells

The bioactive properties of hydroxyapatite (HAP) are evaluated for applications involving the enhancement of biocompatible prostheses by seeding human pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The in vitro response of human MSCs seeded on aerosol-gel HAP coatings is addressed in this work. The processing of the HAP coatings has been carried out by the aerosol-gel technique using calcium nitrate and triethylphosphate as starting precursors. The characterization of the coatings was carried out by using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy disperse X-ray microanalysis, and surface force microscopy, which confirmed the high performance of the HAP coatings. In vitro tests show that human MSCs adhere to aerosol-gel-derived HAP coatings and show proliferation signals on these surfaces.

Porous silicon multilayer stacks for optical biosensing applications

Porous silicon (PS) multilayer stacks were developed for their use as interference filters in the visible range. The optical behavior of these structures was previously simulated by the use of a computational program, from which the optical constants and thickness of the individual PS layers were determined. The possibility of using these structures as biosensors has been explored, based on the significant changes in the reflectance spectra before and after exposing the PS multilayer to proteins (antibodies). In particular, it is shown that there is a notably reduction of reflectance from PS structures when this material is exposed to polyclonal mouse antibodies. Thus, the experimental results open the possibility of developing biosensors based on the variation of the shape and/or position of the optical or photoluminescent spectrum from PS.

Microstructural study of aerosol-gel derived hydroxyapatite coatings

Highly porous aerosol-gel derived hydroxyapatite (HAP) coatings have been prepared from calcium nitrate and phosphoric acid based sols. Precursor solutions were prepared by filtering the suspension formed during the ultrasonic slurring of the reactants mixture. The coatings deposited on Si wafers were studied after sintering at different temperatures by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy disperse microanalysis and scanning electron microscopy. The composition, structure and morphology of the coatings sintered at 650 degrees C were found to fit highly porous HAP. That is considered of great relevance since the deposition parameters are compatible with the processing of bioactive coatings on load bearing metallic substrates.

Surface Functionalization of Nanostructured Porous Silicon by APTS: Toward the Fabrication of Electrical Biosensors of Bacterium Escherichia coli

Nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) basically consists in a network of silicon nanocrystals with high specific surface. Its intrinsic high surface reactivity makes nanoPS a very suitable material for the development of biosensors. In this work, the surface of nanoPS was functionalized by the use of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane solutions in toluene. Escherichia coli (E. coli) antibodies were subsequently immobilized on the functionalized surfaces. Finally, fragments of this bacterium, which are specifically recognized by the antibodies, were immobilized. Moreover, devices with a metal/nanoPS/semiconductor/metal structure were fabricated aiming at the electrical biosensing of E. Coli bacterium. The experimental results showed a strong variation of the current as a function of the presence/absence of bacterium E. Coli and surface concentration.

Surface and interface analysis of hydroxyapatite/TiO2 biocompatible structures

Abstract The properties of hydroxyapatite (HAP) coatings deposited onto sol–gel derived TiO 2 coatings are evaluated for applications involving the enhancement of biocompatible prostheses. HAP coatings were initially characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm the absence of calcium phosphate phases with lower stability at physiological pH. The surfaces of these HAP/TiO 2 structures were subsequently analyzed in a two-fold manner. A morphologic evaluation of the microstructured surface was made by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) before and after a chemical etching process in acetic acid. Furthermore, the HAP/TiO 2 interface composition could be analyzed in depth by using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). In the case of structures grown onto TiAlV alloys, the composition profiles confirm the presence of apatite nuclei onto the surface, even after etching in acidic conditions. The properties derived from these analyses support the suitability of these structures for the development of orthopedic devices.