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Metals and their alloys make them critical materials in orthopaedic applications for bone support due to their biocompatibility and mechanical properties. Nevertheless, these materials do not stimulate bone regeneration. A way to overcome this problem, may involve the application of a coating over the alloys using biocompatible and biodegradable materials capable of stimulating bone regeneration. In this work, poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) films were used over 316 SS substrates and a silanization reaction was employed to improve the interfacial adhesion between polymer and metal, to achieve physicochemically stable PLLA coatings. PLLA was chosen as a coating due to its biocompatible, biodegradable and piezoelectric properties, stimulating the activity of the host bone tissue. Our results reveal that the functionalization of the metal substrate with silane reagents is effective and efficient in the adhesion of PLLA films to 316 SS. Differences in the degree of adhesion are demonstrated, as well as their dependence on film thickness, concentration of polymer solution, and crystallization degree of the polymeric film. These results have implications on the understanding of how to produce stable PLLA coatings on 316 SS substrates, with suitable adhesion to apply in medical devices, paving the way for the possibility of exploring other advantageous properties of PLLA for bone regeneration such as piezoelectricity.

Two PDMS-SiO2-TiO2-Cao porous hybrid materials were prepared using the same base composition, precursors, and solvents, but following two different sol-gel procedures, based on the authors' previous works where for the first time, in this hybrid system, calcium acetate was used as calcium source. The two different procedures resulted in monolithic materials with different structures, microstructures, and surface wettability. Even though both are highly hydrophobic (contact angles of 127.2 degrees and 150.6 degrees), and present different filling regimes due to different surface topographies, they have demonstrated to be-cytocompatible when tested with human osteoblastic cells, against the accepted idea that high-hydrophobic surfaces are not suitable to cell adhesion and proliferation. At the nanoscale, the existence of hydrophilic silica domains containing calcium, where water molecules are physisorbed, is assumed to support this capability, as discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The increasing interest in the effect of strontium in bone tissue repair has promoted the development of bioactive materials with strontium release capability. According to literature, hybrid materials based on the system PDMS-SiO2 have been considered a plausible alternative as they present a mechanical behavior similar to the one of the human bone. The main purpose of this study was to obtain a biocompatible hybrid material with simultaneous calcium and strontium release capability. A hybrid material, in the system PDMS-SiO2-CaO-SrO, was prepared with the incorporation of 0.05 mol of titanium per mol of SiO2. Calcium and strontium were added using the respective acetates as sources, following a sol-gel technique previously developed by the present authors. The obtained samples were characterized by FT-IR, solid-state NMR, and SAXS, and surface roughness was analyzed by 3D optical profilometry. In vitro studies were performed by immersion of the samples in Kokubo's SBF for different periods of time, in order to determine the bioactive potential of these hybrids. Surfaces of the immersed samples were observed by SEM, EDS and PIXE, showing the formation of calcium phosphate precipitates. Supernatants were analyzed by ICP, revealing the capability of the material to simultaneously fix phosphorus ions and to release calcium and strontium, in a concentration range within the values reported as suitable for the induction of the bone tissue repair. The material demonstrated to be cytocompatible when tested with MG63 osteoblastic cells, exhibiting an inductive effect on cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PDMS-SiO2 hybrid materials obtained by sol-gel process have been extensively studied over the past years due to its promising biomedical applications namely as bone substitutes, catheters, and drug delivery devices. Regardless of the intended biomedical application, all these materials should go through a sterilization process before interfacing with a living structure. However, it is unclear whether they undergo structural and microstructural changes when subjected to sterilization by gamma irradiation. This paper addresses this issue by showing that a sol-gel processed biomaterial based on the PDMS-CaO-SiO2 hybrid system suffers only small structural changes when submitted to a radiation dose of 25 kGy, the dose usually recommended to achieve a Sterility Assurance Level of 10(-6) when the natural contamination level and microorganism types cannot be calculated. The characterization was assessed by FT-IR, Si-29-{H-1} CP-MAS, thermal analysis (DTG), and SEM. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Due to its elasticity, transparency and biocompatibility, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been used as an organic component of hybrid materials in different fields of application such as photonics or biomaterials. Typically an acidic medium is used in the sol-gel processing of PDMS-metal oxide systems due to its catalytic effect. Furthermore, when dealing with highly reactive transition metal alkoxides, a chelating agent is pointed out as being necessary to avoid phase separation. In this work a new approach to the preparation procedure of hybrid materials, based on the system PDMS-SiO2-MO2 with M=Ti or Zr, was used. Samples were prepared at different pH values, without water addition and in the presence or absence of a chelating agent (ethyl acetoacetate). All samples were homogeneous and transparent even at high pH. ATR-IR, Si-29-NMR MAS and Si-29-{H-1} CP-MAS were used for the characterization of the obtained samples. According to the 29Si-{H-1} CP-MAS results some differences in the nature of difunctional D ((CH3)(2)center dot SiO2) and tetrafunctional (SiO4) Q structural units were observed. The presence of Ti-O-Si and Zr-O-Si bonds was confirmed by ATR-IR analysis. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The preparation of PDMS–TEOS–CaO hybrid materials by sol–gel techniques has been widely described in previous works. Calcium nitrate is the most common source of calcium used in these preparations. However, to remove possible toxic nitrate by-products a thermal treatment is necessary at temperatures above 500 °C, which leads to the degradation of the polymeric components of the hybrids. Strontium has already shown some promising results in the therapeutic area, being used in cases of osteoporosis and low bone density. In this study a new potential bioactive hybrid material was prepared, by sol–gel techniques, using calcium acetate as a novel calcium source. Also, for the first time, incorporation of strontium in a PDMS–TEOS hybrid system was evaluated. Samples were characterized before and after immersion in Kokubo's Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) by SEM, EDS, ICP and FT-IR spectroscopy.