Nb-C nanocomposite films with enhanced biocompatibility and mechanical properties for hard-tissue implant applications.
One of the key challenges in engineering of orthopedic implants is to "bioactivate" their surface by using different surface techniques and materials. Carbon, especially amorphous (a-C) and diamond-like carbon down (DLC) films have attracted much attention in biomedical fields due to their biocompatibility and low coefficient of friction. However, they are unsuitable for uses as a "bioactivity enhancer" of orthopedic implants due to their bioinertness. In this work, we use the nonreactive magnetron sputtering technique to produce a-C films including the biocompatible niobium (Nb) element to alter the surface chemistry and nanotopography of the a-C films with the purpose of bioactivating the a-C film coated implants. Results show that the nanocomposite films (Nb-C) formed by the addition of Nb into the a-C films not only have improved corrosion resistance, but also possess enhanced mechanical properties (nanohardness, Young's modulus and superelastic recovery). Preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) cultured on the Nb-C films have enhanced adhesion and upregulated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, compared to those cultured on the a-C film and TiO2 films used as a control, which are thought to be ascribed to the combined effects of the changes in surface chemistry and the refinement of the nanotopography caused by the addition of Nb.
†Surface Analysis and Fabrication Platform, CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
Luis
L
Yate
§NanoBioMedical Center, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.
L Emerson
LE
Coy
‡Soft Matter Nanotechnology Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
Danijela
D
Gregurec
∥School of Engineering, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Carrera 11 #101-80, 49300 Bogotá, Colombia.
Willian
W
Aperador
‡Soft Matter Nanotechnology Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
Sergio E
SE
Moya
‡Soft Matter Nanotechnology Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
Guocheng
G
Wang
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D019245:Compressive Strength; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D006244:Hardness; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009556:Niobium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009556:Niobium; D002244:Carbon
amorphous carbon; biocompatibility; niobium; orthopedic implant; osteoblast; thin films