Induced Hydrophilicity and In Vitro Preliminary Osteoblast Response of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Coatings Obtained via MAPLE Deposition and Subsequent Thermal Treatment

Abstract

Recent advancements in biomedicine have focused on designing novel and stable interfaces that can drive a specific cellular response toward the requirements of medical devices or implants. Among these, in recent years, electroactive polymers (i.e., polyvinylidene fluoride or PVDF) have caught the attention within the biomedical applications sector, due to their insolubility, stability in biological media, in vitro and in vivo non-toxicity, or even piezoelectric properties. However, the main disadvantage of PVDF-based bio-interfaces is related to the absence of the functional groups on the fluoropolymer and their hydrophobic character leading to a deficiency of cell adhesion and proliferation. This work was aimed at obtaining hydrophilic functional PVDF polymer coatings by using, for the first time, the one-step, matrix-assisted pulsed evaporation (MAPLE) method, testing the need of a post-deposition thermal treatment and analyzing their preliminary capacity to support MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cell survival. As osteoblast cells are known to prefer rough surfaces, MAPLE deposition parameters were studied for obtaining coatings with roughness of tens to hundreds of nm, while maintaining the chemical properties similar to those of the pristine material. The in vitro studies indicated that all surfaces supported the survival of viable osteoblasts with active metabolisms, similar to the “control” sample, with no major differences regarding the thermally treated materials; this eliminates the need to use a secondary step for obtaining hydrophilic PVDF coatings. The physical-chemical characteristics of the thin films, along with the in vitro analyses, suggest that MAPLE is an adequate technique for fabricating PVDF thin films for further bio-applications.

PEG-Functionalized Magnetite Nanoparticles for Modulation of Microbial Biofilms on Voice Prosthesis

“…To obtain such bioactive coatings, the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique has recently attracted increasing scientific interest. MAPLE is a non-contact, contamination-free process; it offers high control over surface thickness and roughness, does not damage the structure, chemical properties, and functionality of the transferred material, and is considered an ideal technique for depositing hybrid organic-inorganic thin layers [ 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”

Biofilm-Resistant Nanocoatings Based on ZnO Nanoparticles and Linalool

“…The matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) method is used to deposit hybrid nanostructures on target surfaces [39]. MAPLE has attracted interest in engineering nanostructured antimicrobial coatings due to a series of advantages, including enhanced substrate adhesion and preservation of the transferred material's chemical integrity and physicochemical properties [40][41][42][43].…”

Bioactive Coatings Loaded with Osteogenic Protein for Metallic Implants

“…Special attention was oriented towards the latter category, given the enhanced physicochemical properties and boosted biofunctional performance of laser-textured [22][23][24] and coated [25,26] metallic implants. Out of all these techniques, the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) is known to have some advantages, such as the possibility to synthesize homogeneous and uniform nanosized or nanostructured coatings, as well as composite or hybrid coatings containing organic substances, such as polymers [27][28][29] and biomolecules [30,31].…”