Femtosecond Laser-Processed, Copper-Coated Stainless Steel Implants Promoting In Situ Calcium Phosphate Crystallization for Orthopedic Application

Daskalova, Albena; Dutour Sikirić, Maja; Angelova, Liliya; Car, Tihomir; Milisav, Ana-Marija; Neil, Stuart; Shaalan, Abeer (2025) Femtosecond Laser-Processed, Copper-Coated Stainless Steel Implants Promoting In Situ Calcium Phosphate Crystallization for Orthopedic Application. Crystals, 15 (11). ISSN 2073-4352

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Abstract

Today, the engineering of load-bearing bone tissue after severe trauma still relies on metal-based (Ti, CoCrMo alloys or stainless steel) permanent implants. Such artificial scaffolds are typically applied in the body and come into direct contact with the recipient’s cells, whose adhesion affects the patient’s implant acceptance or rejection. The present study aims to create a nano-rough texture by means of ultra-short femtosecond laser (fs)-induced periodicity in the form of laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on the surface of a stainless steel implant model, which is additionally functionalized via magnetron-sputtering with a thin Cu layer, thus providing the as-created implants with a stable antimicrobial interface. Calcium phosphate (CaP) crystal growth was additionally applied due to the strong bioactive interface bond that CaPs provide to the bone connective tissue, as well as for the strong interface bond they create between the artificial implant and the surrounding bone tissue, thereby stabilizing the implanted structure within the body. The bioactive properties in the as-created antimicrobial hybrid topographical design, achieved through femtosecond laser-induced nanoscale surface structuring and micro-sized CaP crystal growth, have the potential for subsequent practical applications in bone tissue engineering.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	ultra-short laser processing; LIPSS; nanostructuring; antiviral properties; hierarchical surface texture
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Physics NATURAL SCIENCES > Chemistry
Divisions:	Division of Materials Physics Division of Physical Chemistry
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Antimicrobial Integrated Methodologies for orthopaedic applications-AIMed Maja Dutour Sikirić 861138 EK Surface transfer of pathogens Maja Dutour Sikirić 101057961 EU
Depositing User:	Lorena Palameta
Date Deposited:	27 Nov 2025 10:01
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/10256
DOI:	10.3390/cryst15110954

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