Bioinspired Functional Surfaces for Medical Devices

Medical devices are a major component of precision medicine and play a key role in medical treatment,particularly with the rapid development of minimally invasive surgery and wearable devices.Their tissue contact properties strongly affect device performance and patient health(e.g.,heat coagulation and slipperiness on surgical graspers).However,the design and optimization of these device surfaces are still indistinct and have no supporting principles.Under such conditions,natural surfaces with various unique functions can provide solutions.This review summarizes the current progress in natural functional surfaces for medical devices,including ultra-slipperiness and strong wet attachment.The underlying mechanisms of these surfaces are attributed to their coupling effects and featured micronano structures.Depending on various medical requirements,adaptable designs and fabrication methods have been developed.Additionally,various medical device surfaces have been validated to achieve enhanced contact properties.Based on these studies,a more promising future for medical devices can be achieved for enhanced precision medicine and human health.

DEM Numerical Simulation of Abrasive Wear Characteristics of a Bioinspired Ridged Surface

This paper presents numerical investigations into a ridged surface whose design is inspired by the geometry of a Farrer’sscallop.The objective of the performed research is to assess if the proposed Bioinspired Ridged Surface (BRS) can potentiallyimprove wear resistance of soil-engaging components used in agricultural machinery and to validate numerical simulationsperformed using software based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM).The wear performance of the BRS is experimentallydetermined and also compared with a conventional flat surface.Different size of soil particles and relative velocities between theabrasive sand and the testing surfaces are used.Comparative results show that the numerical simulations are in agreement withthe experimental results and support the hypothesis that abrasive wear is greatly reduced by substituting a conventional flatsurface with the BRS.

Application of Bioinspired Superhydrophobic Surfaces in Two-phase Heat Transfer Experiments

This paper addresses the potential to use Lotus leafbioinspired surfaces in applications involving heat transfer with phase change, namely pool boiling and spray impingement. Besides describing the role of bioinspired topographical features, using an innovative technique combining high-speed visualization and time-resolved infrared thermography, surface durability is also addressed. Water is used for pool boiling and for spray impingement systems （simplified as single droplet impact）, while HFE7000 is used in a pool boiling cooler for electronic components. Results show that surface durability is quickly compro- mised for water pool boiling applications, as the chemical treatment does not withstand high temperatures （T 〉 100 ℃） during long time intervals （3 h - 4 h）. For HFE7000 pool boiling （depicting lower saturation temperature - 34 ℃）, heat transfer en- hancement is governed by the topography. The regular hierarchical pattern of the bioinspired surfaces promotes the heat transfer coefficient to increase up to 22.2%, when compared to smooth surfaces, while allowing good control of the interaction mechanisms until a distance between micro-structures of 300 gm- 400 Ixm. Droplet impingement was studied for surface temperatures ranging between 60 ℃ - 100 ℃. The results do not support the use of superhydrophobic surfaces for cooling applications, but reveal great potential for other applications involving droplet impact on heated surfaces （e.g. metallurgy in- dustry）.

Dynamics of Droplets of Biological Fluids on Smooth Superhydrophobic Surfaces under Electrostatic Actuation

This study describes the dynamic behaviour of droplets of biological liquids on hydrophobic surfaces under electrostatic actuation, to devise sample handling in lab-on-chip diagnostic tools. Bovine Serum Albumin （BSA） is taken as a representative biomolecule, since it is often used in adsorption studies. Green Fluorescence Protein （GFP） is also considered, given its natural fluorescence. Several effects such as sample concentration and pH are discussed. The results show negligible effects of proteins concentration in electrowetting, although increased concentrations endorse passive adsorption mechanisms, which alter the local wettability of the substrates precluding droplet motion. Bioinspired surfaces promote the largest spreading diameter, which is beneficial for droplet motion. However, surface roughness promotes energy dissipation limiting the receding droplet motion. Hence, the most effective approach is altering the surface chemistry. The coating is applied to a surface with a mean roughness smaller than 20 nm and does not alter significantly the topography, thus leading to the so-called smooth superhydrophobic surface. This coating also reduces passive proteins adsorption, as confirmed by Confocal Microscopy （CM）, which is beneficial for droplet motion. Evaluating absorption spectra of protein solutions evidences an increase in protein concentration ascribed to droplet evaporation as confirmed by theoretical analysis and time resolved infrared visualization.

Junctional epithelium and hemidesmosomes:Tape and rivets for solving the“percutaneous device dilemma”in dental and other permanent implants

The percutaneous device dilemma describes etiological factors, centered around the disrupted epithelial tissue surrounding non-remodelable devices, that contribute to rampant percutaneous device infection. Natural percutaneous organs, in particular their extracellular matrix mediating the “device”/epithelium interface, serve as exquisite examples to inspire longer lasting long-term percutaneous device design. For example, the tooth’s imperviousness to infection is mediated by the epithelium directly surrounding it, the junctional epithelium (JE). The hallmark feature of JE is formation of hemidesmosomes, cell/matrix adhesive structures that attach surrounding oral gingiva to the tooth’s enamel through a basement membrane. Here, the authors survey the multifaceted functions of the JE, emphasizing the role of the matrix, with a particular focus on hemidesmosomes and their five main components. The authors highlight the known (and unknown) effects dental implant - as a model percutaneous device - placement has on JE regeneration and synthesize this information for application to other percutaneous devices. The authors conclude with a summary of bioengineering strategies aimed at solving the percutaneous device dilemma and invigorating greater collaboration between clinicians, bioengineers, and matrix biologists.

Modeling the Wettability of Microstructured Hydrophobic Surface Using Multiple-relaxation-time Lattice Boltzmann Method

Wetting properties are significant for a hydrophobic surface and normally characterized by the equilibrium contact angle.In this manuscript,a mesoscopic method based on multiphase multiple-relaxation-time Lattice Boltzmann method has been presented and applied to simulate the contact angle at three-phase interfaces of a solid surface with micro-pillar structure.The influence of different parameters including pillar height,pillar width,inter-pillar spacing,intrinsic contact angle and the volume of the liquid drop on the equilibrium contact angle has been comprehensively investigated.The effect of geometry parameters of the micro-pillar structure on the wetting transition from Cassie–Baxter state to Wenzel state has also been studied.The results indicate that when the inter-pillar spacing is less than a certain value or the pillar height is greater than a certain value,the contact form between the droplet and the surface satisfies the Cassie–Baxter state.When the contact form satisfies the Cassie–Baxter state,the contact angle gradually increases with the increase of the inter-pillar spacing;the contact angle does not change significantly with the pillar height;the contact angle gradually decreases and approaches the intrinsic contact angle with the pillar width increases.Moreover,the contact angle increases with the increase of the intrinsic contact angle,and the contact angle is not sensitive to the change of droplet volume when the droplet volume is between 0.5 and10μl.