Morphological Analysis of Nanocomposite Films on Titanium Alloys for Biomedical Applications

Advances in engineering complex tissues that can mimic native tissue functions hold enormous promise in biomedicine. A key that is of emphasis in biomedicine is the treatment of bone disorders and injuries. These treatments often require bone tissue engineering at the chondral interface. However, a challenge within engineering the chondral interface is osteointegration (the extent to which new material is accepted by existing tissue). In order for osteointegration to be facilitated, it is desired to have an implant surface which promotes osteoblast growth and bone matrix development. In this study, our research group is exploring the use of chitosan and Laponite™ nanocomposites as interfacial films to improve osteointegration on titanium alloy substrates. The hydrophilicity of the chitosan glucosamine polymer assemblies can minimize cell adhesion whereas the Laponite™ nanoparticles improve homogeneity and film quality. Cell proliferation and surface topography of the nanocomposites were studied using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to determine surface morphology and the biocompatibility for potential cell proliferation with the implant. Preliminary results suggest that the chitosan improves cell adhesion and proliferation and offers great promise for improving bone implants.