• Ranella, Anthi
• Novaković, Mirjana M.
• Peruško, Davor
• Mimidis, Alexandros
• Kavatzikidou, Paraskevi
• Petrović, Suzana
• Popović, Maja
• Kovač, Janez
• Stratakis, Emmanuel

Abstract

Ultrafast laser processing with the formation of periodic surface nanostructures on the 15×(Ti/Zr)/Si multilayers is studied in order to the improve cell response. A novel nanocomposite structure in the form of 15x(Ti/Zr)/Si multilayer thin films, with satisfying mechanical properties and moderate biocompatibility, was deposited by ion sputtering on an Si substrate. The multilayer 15×(Ti/Zr)/Si thin films were modified by femtosecond laser pulses in air to induce the following modifications: (i) mixing of components inside of the multilayer structures, (ii) the formation of an ultrathin oxide layer at the surfaces, and (iii) surface nano-texturing with the creation of laser-induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS). The focus of this study was an examination of the novel Ti/Zr multilayer thin films in order to create a surface texture with suitable composition and structure for cell integration. Using the SEM and confocal microscopies of the laser-modified Ti/Zr surfaces with seeded cell culture (NIH 3T3 fibroblasts), it was found that cell adhesion and growth depend on the surface composition and morphological patterns. These results indicated a good proliferation of cells after two and four days with some tendency of the cell orientation along the LIPSSs. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Topics

• nanocomposite
• impedance spectroscopy
• surface
• scanning electron microscopy
• thin film
• texture
• biocompatibility