Scientifically Substantiated Guidelines for Physico-Mathematical Modelling of Laser Surface-Treatment of Wear-Resistant Implants for Human Joint Replacements

Abstract

This paper presents the main results from a set of guidelines on the physico-mathematical modelling of laser surface-treatment of wear-resistant implants for human joint replacements. These guidelines contain synthesized and documented procedure, theoretical and practical recommendations, which are provided by researchers in the Nanomaterials Laboratory under the Institute of Fundamental Science and Innovative Technologies, Liepaja University. The present paper does not attempt to cover all aspects of physical and mathematical modelling, but draws together many key aspects concerning theoretical and practical difficulties, in the overcoming of what researchers of the Nanomaterials Laboratory, in particular, the authors of the present paper, have sufficient skills.

Modelling and Investigation of the Dependence of Superhydrophobic Properties of Nanosurfaces on the Topology of Microchannels

“…One of these controlled surface effects is slippage effect in pressure-driven fluid flow past superhydrophobic stripes (see [22]- [26] and respective references given there). Superhydrophobic surfaces combine natural hydrophobicity and roughness which results in almost complete nonwetting: on such surfaces, the contact angle is larger than 150° and, due to weak interaction forces ( adhesion cohesion 1, W W = where adhesion W is the reversible thermodynamic work of adhesion, cohesion W is the work of cohesive forces) and high surface tension value, the so-called "lotus effect" occurs -a drop of liquid takes a spherical shape and reduces the contact area with a superhydrophobic surface, or the so-called "rose petal effect" -a drop of liquid is firmly held on a vertical surface and looks as if it were pinned to the surface (for instance, see [3], [4], [27]- [33] and respective references given there). While studying hydrodynamics of a fluid flowing past gas stripes of unidirectional superhydrophobic surfaces, an important task is to manage the process of stabilizing gas bubbles inside the cavities of such surfaces.…”

Theoretical Basis and Experimental Means of the Hydrophilic Nanostructure Formation Process on the Titanium Surface by Direct Laser Irradiation

“…This study, which to a certain extent is a continuation of the research [14], is devoted to the formation of a hydrophilic nanostructure on the surface of a ball-shaped titanium head of a human hip joint endoprosthesis using direct laser nanostructuring. The necessity of hydrophilicity property of the implant surface is due to the fact that the state of the surface of titanium implants plays a decisive role in cell-cell adhesion, because the interaction between a biological environment (hard and soft tissues, blood, body fluids and serum, etc.)…”