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Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were deposited on the surfaces of polyurethane (PUR) foams by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The parameters of EPD were optimized in order to obtain homogeneous CNT coatings on PUR foams and adequate infiltration of the three-dimensional (3D) porous network. The microstructure of the composites was investigated by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), revealing that optimal quality of the coatings was achieved by an EPD voltage of 20 V. The thermal properties of the CNT-coated specimens, determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were correlated to the foam microstructure. In vitro tests in concentrated simulated body fluid (1.5 SBF) were performed to study the influence of the presence of CNTs on the bioactivity of PUR-based scaffolds, assessed by the formation of calcium phosphate (CaP) compounds, e.g. hydroxyapatite (HA), on the foam surfaces. It was observed that CNTs accelerate the precipitation of CaP, which is thought to be due to the presence of more nucleation centres for crystal nucleation and growth, as compared with uncoated foams. Polyurethane foams with CNT coating have the potential to be used as bioactive scaffolds in bone tissue engineering due to their high interconnected porosity, bioactivity and nanostructured surface topography.

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Polyurethane (PUR) and polyurethane/poly(d, l-lactide) acid (PUR/PDLLA) based scaffolds coated with Bioglass particles for application in bone tissue engineering were fabricated. The slurry-dipping method was used for coating preparation. The homogeneous structure of the Bioglass coatings on the surface of the PUR and PUR/PDLLA foams indicated a good adhesion of the bioactive glass particles to polyurethane without any additional surface treatment. In vitro studies in simulated body fluid (SBF) were performed to study the influence of Bioglass coating on biodegrability and bioactivity of PUR-based scaffolds. The surface of Bioglass-coated samples was covered by a layer of carbonate-containing apatite after 7 days of immersion in SBF, while in uncoated polymer samples apatite crystals were not detected even after 21 days of immersion in SBF. The apatite layer was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS analysis and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR-ATR). Weight loss measurements showed that the in vitro degradation rate of the composite scaffolds in SBF was higher in comparison to uncoated polyurethane samples. PUR and PUR/PDLLA foams with Bioglass coating have potential to be used as bioactive, biodegradable scaffolds in bone tissue engineering.

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Medical implant use is associated with a risk of infection caused by bacteria on their surface. Implants with a surface that has both bone growth-promoting properties and antibacterial properties are of interest in orthopedics. In the current study, we fabricated a bioactive coating of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on polyether ether ketone (PEEK) using the sonocoating method. The sonocoating method creates a layer by immersing the object in a suspension of nanoparticles in water and applying a high-power ultrasound. We show that the simple layer fabrication method results in a well-adhering layer with a thickness of 219 nm to 764 nm. Dropping cefuroxime sodium salt (Cef) antibiotic on the coated substrate creates a layer with a drug release effect and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. We achieved a concentration of up to 1 mg of drug per cm2 of the coated substrate. In drug release tests, an initial burst was observed within 24 h, accompanied by a linear stable release effect. The drug-loaded implants exhibited sufficient activity against S. aureus for 24 and 168 h. Thus, the simple method we present here produces a biocompatible coating that can be soaked with antibiotics for antibacterial properties and can be used for a range of medical implants.

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Providing topographical cues along with chemical and biological factors is essential for biomimetic scaffolds applied in nerve tissue engineering.