Functionalisation of implant surfaces via electrophoretic deposition.

Due to the aging population and increasingly active lifestyle, the need for more reliable and fast stabilised dental and orthopaedic implants will drastically increase in the future. In order to promote osseointegration, the surface of the latest implant generations is either roughened (dental implants) or coated with a rough layer containing 30 to 50% open porosity (cementless orthopaedic implants). However, compared to the classical substrates, such a treatment not only promotes bone attachment, but also increases the risk of microbial biofilm-associated contamination and subsequent implant failure. Therefore, the major challenge in implant development is selectively stimulating bone cell attachment and subsequent osseointegration while inhibiting attachment of bacteria and subsequent biofilm formation. Coating the implant with bone forming cells and/or bone growth stimulating proteins in a bacteria-free environment prior to surgery will improve the chances for successful implant osseointegration, while treatment with biofilm inhibiting molecules will reduce the risk of infection. This project aims to provide the fundamental scientific background for the controlled deposition of bone forming cells, signalling proteins and biofilm inhibiting biomolecules using unbalanced AC-fields in electrophoretic deposition (AC-EPD).

Keywords:Cells, Biomolecules, Surface functionalisation, Implants, Alternating fields, Electrophoretic deposition (EPD)

Disciplines:Other engineering and technology