RESUMEN
Femtosecond laser-induced surface structuring is a promising technique for the large-scale formation of nano- and microscale structures that can effectively modify materials' optical, electrical, mechanical, and tribological properties. Here we perform a systematic study on femtosecond laser-induced surface structuring on gold (Au) surface and their effect on both hydrophobicity and bacterial-adhesion properties. We created various structures including subwavelength femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures (fs-LIPSSs), fs-LIPSSs covered with nano/microstructures, conic and 1D-rod-like structures ( ≤ 6 µm), and spherical nanostructures with a diameter ≥ 10 nm, by raster scanning the laser beam, at different laser fluences. We show that femtosecond laser processing turns originally hydrophilic Au to a superhydrophobic surface. We determine the optimal conditions for the creation of the different surface structures and explain the mechanism behind the formed structures and show that the laser fluence is the main controlling parameter. We demonstrate the ability of all the formed surface structures to reduce the adhesion of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria and show that fs-LIPSSs enjoys superior antibacterial adhesion properties due to its large-scale surface coverage. Approximately 99.03% of the fs-LIPSSs surface is free from bacterial adhesion. The demonstrated physical inhibition of bacterial colonies and biofilm formation without antibiotics is a crucial step towards reducing antimicrobial-resistant infections.
RESUMEN
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis of human deciduous teeth has been performed by employing Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 10 ns) for the evaluation of plasma parameters as well as elemental analysis. The plasma parameters, i.e., electron temperature and electron number density of laser-induced teeth plasma at various fluencies, have been evaluated. Both parameters show an increasing trend up to a certain value of laser fluence, i.e., 2.6 J/cm(2). With further increase in laser fluence up to a value of 3.9 J/cm(2), a decreasing trend is observed which is due to shielding effect. With further increase in laser fluence up to a maximum value of 10.5 J/cm(2), the insignificant changes in plasma parameters are observed which are attributed to saturation phenomenon governed by self-regulating regime. Emission spectroscopy results exhibit that laser fluence is the controlling factor for both plasma parameters. The elemental analysis was also performed at constant laser fluence of 2.6 J/cm(2) by evaluating the variation in detected elemental concentration of Ca, Fe, Sr, Zn, and Pb in three different parts of human teeth, i.e., enamel, dentine, and cementum. The lower concentration of Ca as compared to the standard values of CaCO3 (self-fabricated pellet) reveals that enamel is the most deciduous part of the human teeth. However, at the same time, it is also observed that the highest concentration of micro minerals is also found in enamel, then in dentine, and lowest in cementum. Carious or unhealthy tooth is identified by enhanced concentration of micro minerals (Pb, Sr, Zn, and Fe). The highest concentration of micro minerals as compared to other parts of teeth (dentine and root cementum) and lower concentration of Ca as compared to standard CaCO3 pellet in enamel confirm that enamel is the most deciduous part of the teeth.
