Characterization of Biomaterial Surfaces

The understanding of the interactions which take place between a material surface and the components of the biological system is an important requirement of biomaterial development. The uppermost atomic layers of a biomaterial, which present characteristic chemical structural parameters and physical properties, define the contact surface. An important contribution to biomaterial development is, therefore, made by surface-sensitive analytical methods [71] which allow the surface modifications to the biomaterial to be proved. 

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A. M. Belu, D. J. Graham and D. G. Castner, Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry techniques and applications for the characterization of biomaterial surfaces, Biomaterials, 24, 3635 3653 (2003). 

SALI is a reladvely new surface technique that delivers a quantitative and sensitive measure of the chemical composition of solid surfaces. Its major advantage, compared to its parent technique SIMS, is that quantitative elemental and molecular informadon can be obtained. SPI offers exciting possibilities for the analytical characterization of the surfaces of polymers and biomaterials in which chemical differ-endation could be based solely on the characteristic SALE spectra. 

A significant contribution of Raman spectroscopy to the analytical characterization of biomedical issues has been made in the area of biomaterials, especially in the identification of biodegradation and deterioration [1, 2]. The general impact of Raman spectroscopy on the study of biomaterials has been described by this author in three recent review articles [3-5]. In this chapter, the topic of Raman characterization of biomaterials is revisited with particular emphasis placed on those biomaterials widely employed for load-bearing surfaces in artificial joints. Important recent case studies are presented to illustrate the power of the Raman technique to answer key questions of broad medical, scientific, and technological interest. The analytical and physical science lying behind the Raman effect is shown to contribute to the accumulation of a wealth of fundamental information about the medical and technical achievements of prosthesis makers. 

Brunette, P. M., The effect of surface topography on cell migration and adhesion, in Surface Characterization of Biomaterials Progress in Biomedical Engineering, Volume 6 (B. D. Ratner, Ed.), pp. 203-217. Elsevier, New York, 1988. 

In recent years the surface characterization of biomaterials has been forcefully emphasized (1—3). Unfortunately, a clear understanding of how surface characterization can be of value to biomaterials research, development, and production has, in many cases, not been realized. This chapter addresses the subject of surface characterization of biomaterials by considering three aspects of the problem first how surfaces differ from the bulk of materials second, how the important parameters of surfaces can be measured and what new techniques might be developed and finally, how surface characterization can help in understanding and predicting the biocompatibility (and in particular, the blood compatibility) of synthetic materials. 

Because of the preliminary nature of this study, we did not use the steps of biomaterial surface preparation and characterization suggested as Level One (minimum level) tests by two recent study groups of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (41, 42). Neither bulk nor surface properties were analyzed, and the surfaces were not confined to a dust-free environ-... 

Surface characterization is very important in the development of blood-compatible biomaterials, since the surface characteristics of the polymer have been linked to polymer-tissue and polymer-blood interactions. Further information on surface characterization of biomaterials can be found elsewhere (20, 21). 

B.D. Ratner, Surface characterization of biomaterials by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. 

In the following, we will focus on biophysical characterization of material surfaces, especially on quantifying their interaction with proteins and cells, and on biological evaluation of biomaterials and medical devices by in vitro tests as a first step towards ensuring their biocompatibility. 

This chapter concentrates on biophysical characterization of material surfaces in biological environments and just highlights some examples. Especially, the quantification of protein adsorption and/or cell adhesion is important in order to evaluate the potential of a biomaterial for a given application. 

Ratner BD, ed. (1988). Surface Characterization of Biomaterials. Amsterdam Elsevier. 

Electrochemical properties are other important physical surface parameters. The existing surface charge density, i.e. the surface potential, has a strong influence on protein adsorption and blood compatibility [81]. In this way the characterization of the interface charge density of a biomaterial by -potential determination delivers an important parameter for understanding blood compatibility of biomaterial surfaces [82-85]. 

Ratner BD (1988) The surface characterization of biomedical materials. In Ratner BD (ed) Progress in biomaterials engineering, vol 6. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 13 Vidrine DW (1982) Photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of solids and liquids. In Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy Fries T (1994) Deutscher Verband fiir Materialprufung, p 127 Sacher E (1988) The determination of the surface tensions of solid films. In Ratner BD (ed) Progress in biomaterials engineering, vol 6 Surface characterization of biomaterials. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 53 Owens DK, Wendt RC (1969) J Appl Polym Sci 13 1741... 

Ratner, B.D. Surface properties and surface characterization of biomaterials. In Ratner, B.D., Hoffman, A.S., Schoen, F.I., Lemons, J.E. (eds.) Biomaterials Science An Introduction to Materials in Medicine, 3rd edn. Elsevier Science, Academic Press, New York (2013)... 

Ikada Y. Surface modification of polymers for medical application. Biomaterials, 1994, 15, 725-736. James SJ, Pogribna M, Miller BJ, Bolon B, and Muskhelishvili L. Characterization of cellular response to silicone implants in rats Implications for foreign-body carcinogenesis. Biomaterials, 1997, 18, 667-675. 

Ruckenstein, E. and Gourisankar, S. V. Preparation and characterization of thin film surface coatings for biological environments. Biomaterials 1986, 7(6), 403-422. 

Knowledge of the surface structure of CaHAP panicles is fundamentally needed not only in medical and dental sciences but also in application of synthetic CaHAP particles to bioceramics and adsorbents for biomaterials, because the affinity of CaHAP surface to biomaterials is an important factor in all the cases. The surface structure of CaHAP was investigated by various means including infrared (IR) (38,39), NMR (40). TPD (41), and XPS (42). Among these methods, IR spectroscopy is most appropriate for the surface characterization of CaHAP particles. 

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