Bioinspired double self-adhesion coating based on dopamine, coating resin and phosphorylcholine for surface lubrication and antifouling functionalization

Abstract

Implanted medical devices that have poor friction property or biofilm formation can limit their service life and cause discomfort in patients. Recently, some zwitterionic coatings have been studied to modify the biomaterials surface for lubricating function, but the grafting methods of coatings are complicated and also seldom take the bacterial antiadhesion property into account at the same time. In our studies, motivated by the properties of nature mussels and human articular, we firstly successfully synthesized double adhesion protection of self-adhesive ternary polymer coating and achieved the excellent lubrication and antifouling functionalization of the medical devices surface. In details, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and the water contact angles could characterize the successful modification on the surface of titanium substrate. Additionally, the tribological tests carried out by atomic force microscope verified the ternary polymer could enhance the lubrication property owing to the hydration lubrication mechanism. Meanwhile, it also possessed the bacterial antiadhesion property for the initial 24 h attributed to the hydration repulsive force. We believe that, as a simple and universal preparation method, the ternary polymer could make a great significance for improving the surface function of biomaterials and alleviating patients' discomfort.

Keywords: Bioinspired coating; bacterial antiadhesion; double adhesion protection; hydration layer; lubrication.

Figure 1.

(a) The synthesis process of DMA-MEMA-MPC and (b) illustration showing the simple coating method on titanium substrate for excellent lubrication and bacterial antiadhesion property based on hydration layer

Figure 2.

The ¹H NMR spectrum (a) and GPC results (b) of DMA-MEMA-MPC ternary polymer

Figure 3.

Material characterization proves that the ternary polymer was successfully modified onto the titanium substrate. (a) The XPS (contain the narrow spectrums) results present the element compositions of the different samples. (b) The surface morphology in SEM and (c) the water contact angles for the titanium substrate and Terpolymer-g-Ti substrate. (d) QCM experiment proves the self-adhesion ability and stability of the terpolymer on Ti sensor

Figure 4.

(a) The schematic illustration of the tribological tests, using ball-on-disk mode. (b) The comparison of COF for the different substrates under different normal loads

Figure 5.

(a) and (b) SEM shows the bacterial adhesion property of the two kinds of substrates for the initial 24 h. (c) The colony images and (d) The bacterial resistance ratio of Ti and Terpolymer-g-Ti tested by spread plate assay