Maite Oleaga

Former Visiting Master student (Mondragon University, Spain)

Development and characterization of novel multicomponent coatings for biomedical applications

 

Supervisors:  Muhammad Asim Akhtar, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a simple process used to create homogeneous coatings in different materials [1]. Moreover, this process can make coatings consisting of bioactive layers and biological entities with therapeutic metallic ions or drugs on various substrates. Chitosan is a natural biopolymer used for different biomedical applications, such as coatings for medical/orthopedic implants. The most significant features are biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antibacterial activity.  In combination with chitosan, bioactive glass (BG) is used [2]. The co-deposition of chitosan with BG improves the bioactivity and the adhesion of the implant to living tissue. In this project, 3D scaffolds coated via EPD with chitosan/BG/polydopamine (PDA) will be developed. PDA enables the adhesion of different types of metals, oxides, and polymers which could be helpful for long-term drug-delivery coatings [3].

[1] A. R. Boccaccini, S. Keim, R. Ma, Y. Li, and I. Zhitomirsky, “Electrophoretic deposition of biomaterials,” J R Soc Interface, vol. 7, no. SUPPL. 5, Oct. 2010, doi: 10.1098/RSIF.2010.0156.FOCUS.

[2] E. Avcu, F. E. Baştan, H. Z. Abdullah, M. A. U. Rehman, Y. Y. Avcu, and A. R. Boccaccini, “Electrophoretic deposition of chitosan-based composite coatings for biomedical applications: A review,” Prog Mater Sci, vol. 103, pp. 69–108, Jun. 2019, doi: 10.1016/J.PMATSCI.2019.01.001.

[3] B. H. Huang et al., “Electrophoretic fabrication of a robust chitosan/polyethylene glycol/polydopamine composite film for UV-shielding application,” Carbohydr Polym, vol. 273, p. 118560, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.1016/J.CARBPOL.2021.118560.