In the Phase I research project, Plasma Controls will demonstrate the abilities and usefulness of an advanced plasma processing technique known as plasma based ion implantation and deposition (PBII&D) by applying hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium alloy surfaces. In PBII&D, the hydroxyapatite constituents are ionized within a plasma and accelerated toward the titanium surface using DC pulse biasing. PBII&D is a technique that immerses the substrate within the plasma, and is therefore able to uniformly coat complex three-dimensional shapes, such as dental, oral, and craniofacial implants. A small amount of silver (Ag) will be incorporated into the hydroxyapatite (HA) coating to improve the coating's antibacterial characteristics. The proposed technique will also be used to create nanoscale topography on the substrate surface using ion bombardment, possibly improving cell viability and proliferation. The HA-Ag coating has the important dual purposes of 1) actively promoting osseointegration through hydroxyapatite and 2) using the antibacterial properties of silver to inhibit infection. Plasma Controls'end-goal is to offer a plasma-based surface modification and coating system to biomedical companies and researchers as both a production and research tool. Plasma Controls will demonstrate the feasibility and attractiveness of plasma based ion implantation and deposition in the Phase I portion of the research by coating titanium alloy samples with a hydroxyapatite-silver coating intended for dental, oral, craniofacial, and other implant surfaces. Plasma Controls is collaborating with faculty in the School of Biomedical Engineering at Colorado State University to evaluate and provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of the applied surface modifications and coatings. In Phase II, Plasma Controls and its affiliates will develop the proposed plasma technology into a complete surface modification and coating system. The system will be marketed toward biomedical companies and research institutions, which may use the system to efficiently design and evaluate novel biomaterials and coatings. Plasma Controls will also use the proposed system internally to provide surface modification and coating services. The proposed plasma processing system primarily targets the biotechnology and biomaterials interest topic of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), seeking to improve the osseointegrative and antibacterial properties of facial implants used for reconstruction of diseased or injured oral and craniofacial tissues. The proposed system also addresses the broad nanotechnology and manufacturing initiatives of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), controlling surface topography on the nanoscale level and advancing biomaterial fabrication in both research and commercial settings.
Plasma based ion implantation and deposition (PBII&D) is an advanced surface modification and coating tool that will be developed for biomedical applications. In this research, PBII&D will be used to deposit silver-doped hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium implant materials, improving an implant's ability to both integrate with existing tissue and resist bacterial infection. More generally, the proposed plasma system is useful for creating versatile and effective biomaterials and biocoatings.
