Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Item
    Plasma polymerized allylamine-the unique cell-attractive nanolayer for dental implant materials
    (Basel : MDPI, 2019) Nebe, J. Barbara; Rebl, Henrike; Schlosser, Michael; Staehlke, Susanne; Gruening, Martina; Weltmann, Klaus-Dieter; Walschus, Uwe; Finke, Birgit
    Biomaterials should be bioactive in stimulating the surrounding tissue to accelerate the ingrowth of permanent implants. Chemical and topographical features of the biomaterial surface affect cell physiology at the interface. A frequently asked question is whether the chemistry or the topography dominates the cell-material interaction. Recently, we demonstrated that a plasma-chemical modification using allylamine as a precursor was able to boost not only cell attachment and cell migration, but also intracellular signaling in vital cells. This microwave plasma process generated a homogenous nanolayer with randomly distributed, positively charged amino groups. In contrast, the surface of the human osteoblast is negatively charged at −15 mV due to its hyaluronan coat. As a consequence, we assumed that positive charges at the material surface—provoking electrostatic interaction forces—are attractive for the first cell encounter. This plasma-chemical nanocoating can be used for several biomaterials in orthopedic and dental implantology like titanium, titanium alloys, calcium phosphate scaffolds, and polylactide fiber meshes produced by electrospinning. In this regard, we wanted to ascertain whether plasma polymerized allylamine (PPAAm) is also suitable for increasing the attractiveness of a ceramic surface for dental implants using Yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia.
  • Item
    Tunable nano-replication to explore the omniphobic characteristics of springtail skin
    (London : Macmillan Publishers, 2013) Hensel, R.; Helbig, R.; Aland, S.; Voigt, A.; Neinhuis, C.; Werner, C.
    Springtails (Collembola) are wingless arthropods adapted to cutaneous respiration in temporarily rain-flooded and microbially contaminated habitats by a non-wetting and antiadhesive skin surface that is mechanically rather stable. Recapitulating the robust and effectively repellent surface characteristics of springtail skin in engineered materials may offer exciting opportunities for demanding applications, but it requires a detailed understanding of the underlying design principles. Towards this aim and based on our recent analysis of the structural features of springtail skin, we developed a tunable polymer replication process to dissect the contributions of different structural elements and surface chemistry to the omniphobic performance of the cuticle. The Cassie-Wenzel transition at elevated pressures was explored by in situ plastron collapse experiments and by numerical FEM simulations. The results obtained unravel the decisive role of nanoscopic cuticle structures for the protection of springtails against wetting, and explain how the evolved nanotopography enables the production of omniphobic surfaces even from intrinsically hydrophilic polymer materials.