Silicalite-1 is a purely siliceous form of zeolite, which does not contain potentially harmful aluminum in its structure as opposed to ZSM-5 aluminosilicate types of zeolite. This paper reports on a study of a silicalite-1 film, deposited on a silicon Si(100) substrate, as a potential anti-corrosive and biocompatible coating for orthopaedic implants. Silicalite-1 film was prepared in situ on the surface of Si(100) wafers using a reaction mixture of tetrapropyl-ammonium hydroxide (TPAOH), tetraethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS), and diH₂O. The physico-chemical properties of the obtained surface were characterized by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, water contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The biocompatibility was assessed by interaction with the MG-63 cell line (human osteosarcoma) in terms of cell adhesion, morphology, proliferation, and viability. The synthesized silicalite-1 film consisted of two layers (b- and a, b-oriented crystals) creating a combination of micro- and nano-scale surface morphology suitable for cell growth. Despite its hydrophobicity, the silicalite-1 film increased the number of initially adhered human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells and the proliferation rate of these cells. The silicalite-1 film also improved the cell viability in comparison with the reference Si(100) substrate. It is therefore a promising candidate for coating of orthopaedic implants.

Amine-coated biodegradable materials based on synthetic polymers have a great potential for tissue remodeling and regeneration because of their excellent processability and bioactivity. In the present study, we have investigated the influence of various chemical compositions of amine plasma polymer (PP) coatings and the influence of the substrate morphology, represented by polystyrene culture dishes and polycaprolactone nanofibers (PCL NFs), on the behavior of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Although all amine-PP coatings improved the initial adhesion of VSMCs, 7-day long cultivation revealed a clear preference for the coating containing about 15 at.% of nitrogen (CPA-33). The CPA-33 coating demonstrated the ideal combination of good water stability, a sufficient amine group content, and favorable surface wettability and morphology. The nanostructured morphology of amine-PP-coated PCL NFs successfully slowed the proliferation rate of VSMCs, which is essential in preventing restenosis of vascular replacements in vivo. At the same time, CPA-33-coated PCL NFs supported the continuous proliferation of VSMCs during 7-day long cultivation, with no significant increase in cytokine secretion by RAW 264.7 macrophages. The CPA-33 coating deposited on biodegradable PCL NFs therefore seems to be a promising material for manufacturing small-diameter vascular grafts, which are still lacking on the current market.

A silicalite-1 film (SF) deposited on Ti-6Al-4V alloy was investigated in this study as a promising coating for metallic implants. Two forms of SFs were prepared: as-synthesized SFs (SF-RT), and SFs heated up to 500 °C (SF-500) to remove the excess of template species from the SF surface. The SFs were characterized in detail by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle measurements (WCA). Two types of bone-derived cells (hFOB 1.19 non-tumor fetal osteoblast cell line and U-2 OS osteosarcoma cell line) were used for a biocompatibility assessment. The initial adhesion of hFOB 1.19 cells, evaluated by cell numbers and cell spreading area, was better supported by SF-500 than by SF-RT. While no increase in cell membrane damage, in ROS generation and in TNF-alpha secretion of bone-derived cells grown on both SFs was found, gamma H2AX staining revealed an elevated DNA damage response of U-2 OS cells grown on heat-treated samples (SF-500). This study also discusses differences between osteosarcoma cell lines and non-tumor osteoblastic cells, stressing the importance of choosing the right cell type model.