Nitrogen Plasma Treatment of Composite Materials Based on Polylactic Acid and Hydroxyapatite.

The effect of surface modification by an arc discharge plasma in a nitrogen flow with treatment durations of 5 and 10 min on the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of the surface of composites based on polylactic acid and hydroxyapatite (PLA/HA) with different mass ratios (80/20, 70/30, 60/40) has been investigated. The aim of this work was to show the correlation between the changes of the physicochemical characteristics (chemical compound, morphology, wettability) of the surface layer of the PLA/HA composites and the cell viability (macrophages) in the presence of the plasma-modified materials. The dependence of alterations of the functional properties (wettability, biocompatibility) on the change in the chemical composition under the plasma exposure has been established. The chemical composition was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the surface morphology was researched with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the wettability of the composite's surface was analyzed by measuring the contact angle and surface energy calculation. In addition, the viability of macrophages was investigated when the macrophages from three donors interacted with a modified PLA/HA surface. It was found that the formation of the new functional groups, -C-N and N-C=O/C=O, improves the wettability of the surface of the composites and promotes the viability of macrophages in the presence of the composite materials. The fundamental principles for obtaining promising materials with the required properties for eliminating bone defects have been created.

Effect of Nitrogen Arc Discharge Plasma Treatment on Physicochemical Properties and Biocompatibility of PLA-Based Scaffolds.

The effect of low-temperature arc discharge plasma treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere on the modification of the physicochemical properties of PLA-based scaffolds was studied. In addition, the cellular-mediated immune response when macrophages of three donors interact with the modified surfaces of PLA-based scaffolds was investigated. PLA surface carbonization, accompanied by a carbon atomic concentration increase, was revealed to occur because of plasma treatment. Nitrogen plasma significantly influenced the PLA wettability characteristics, namely, the hydrophilicity and lipophilicity were improved, as well as the surface energy being raised. The viability of cells in the presence of the plasma-modified PLA scaffolds was evaluated to be higher than that of the initial cells.

Low-Temperature Barrier Discharge Plasma Modification of Scaffolds Based on Polylactic Acid.

We have explored the effect of low-temperature barrier discharge plasma treatment in oxygen, nitrogen, and argon on modification of the physicochemical properties of polylactic acid (PLA)-based scaffolds. The cellular-mediated immune response to the interaction of macrophages of three donors with the modified surface of PLA-based scaffolds was also investigated. Carbonization of the PLA surface accompanied by a carbon atomic concentration increase is shown to occur following plasma treatment. Argon plasma significantly affects the wettability characteristics of PLA; the hydrophilicity and lipophilicity are improved, and the surface energy is increased. The viability of cells in the presence of plasma-modified PLA scaffolds is lower than that for unmodified PLA but remains greater than that for the negative control. We find that PLA scaffolds do not cause increased expression of the proinflammatory (TNFα, IL-6, IL-1ß) cytokines after 6 days of cell cultivation. At the same time, PLA scaffolds do not affect the increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10).

Influence of the Pd : Bi ratio on Pd-Bi/Al2O3 catalysts: structure, surface and activity in glucose oxidation.

Pd-Bi nanoparticles show high efficiency in catalyzing gluconic acid production by the glucose oxidation reaction. Although this type of catalyst was studied for some time, the correlation between bismuth content and catalytic activity is still unclear. Moreover, there is little information on the principles of the formation of Pd-Bi nanoparticles. In this work, the relation between bismuth content and the activity and selectivity of the PdxBiy/Al2O3 catalyst in the glucose oxidation process was studied. The catalytic samples were prepared by co-impregnation of the alumina support utilizing the metal-organic precursors of Pd and Bi. The samples obtained were tested in the glucose oxidation reaction and were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray fluorescence analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and BET adsorption. It has been found that the Pd3 : Bi1 atomic ratio grants the highest catalytic efficiency for the studied samples. To explain this, we predicted stable Pd-Bi nanoparticles using ab initio evolutionary algorithm USPEX. The calculations demonstrate that nanoparticles tend to form Pd(core)-Bi(shell) structures turning to a crown-jewel morphology at lower Bi concentration, thus exposing the active Pd centers while maintaining the promoting effect of Bi.

Cryo-Structured Materials Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Hydroxyapatite for Osteogenesis.

The application of various materials in biomedical procedures has recently experienced rapid growth. One of the areas is the treatment of many of different types of bone-related diseases and disorders by using biodegradable polymer-ceramic composites. We have developed a material based on cryogel polyvinyl alcohol, mineralized with calcium phosphate. Composites were obtained by cyclic freezing-thawing, the synthesis of calcium phosphates was carried out in situ under the influence of microwave radiation with heating and stirring. The components of the composites were determined using the methods of IR-spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalyzer, as well as their morphology and surface properties. The biological compatibility of the material was investigated in vivo for a Wistar rat. The assessment of the quality of bone formation between the cryogel-based implant and the damaged bone was carried out by computed tomography. An improvement in the consolidation of the bone defect is observed in the bone with the composite in comparison with the control bone.

Modification of PCL Scaffolds by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering: A Possibility for Modulating Macrophage Responses.

Direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering is as an efficient method for enhancing the biocompatibility of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds. However, the PCL chemical bonding state, the composition of the deposited coating, and their interaction with immune cells remain unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that the DC reactive magnetron sputtering of the titanium target in a nitrogen atmosphere leads to the formation of nitrogen-containing moieties and the titanium dioxide coating on the scaffold surface. We have provided the possible mechanism of PCL fragmentation and coating formation supported by XPS results and DFT calculations. Our preliminary biological studies suggest that DC reactive magnetron sputtering of the titanium target could be an effective tool to control macrophage functional responses toward PCL scaffolds as it allows to inhibit respiratory burst while retaining cell viability and scavenging activity.

Synthesis of Magnesium- and Silicon-modified Hydroxyapatites by Microwave-Assisted Method.

Nanopowders of hydroxyapatite (HA), modified by magnesium (MgHA) and by silicon (SiHA) were obtained by liquid-phase microwave synthesis method. X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy results showed that Mg2+ and SiO44- ions were present in the synthesized products both as secondary phases and as part of the HA phase. Whitlockite was found in the magnesium-modified HA (MgHA) and larnite was found in the silicon-modified HA (SiHA); ion substitution for both materials resulted in solid solutions. In the synthesized samples of modified HA, the increase of particle size of powders was in the order HA < SiHA < MgHA, which was calculated through data specific surface area and measured pycnometric density of the powders. The Lewis acid sites (Ca2+, Mg2+, Si4+) were present using spectral probes on the surface of the samples of HA, MgHA, and SiHA, and the acidity of these sites decreased in the order SiHA > MgHA > HA. The rates of calcium phosphate layer deposition on the surface of these materials at 37 °C in the model simulated body fluid solution showed similar dependence.