Deposition and functionalization of TiO2 thin films surface

Abstract

This proposal is part of a multidisciplinary approach, inserted in the new area of nanobiotechnology, which should revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases and conditions. The nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been employed as surface modifiers in medical implants, promoting improved resistance biocorrosion material and increased bioactivity of oxides, with promising results in the interaction with living tissue. Despite the biocompatibility of this oxide to be recognized, there are still many aspects of adhesion mechanisms between the proteins and the surface of the material.Chemically the surface of these oxides is particularly terminated by OH groups which can be readily functionalized. Such chemical functionalization or simply a physical modification of the material surface, can improve the interaction of the oxide with the biological environment.This project proposes to synthesize TiO2 thin films on metallic titanium substrates using spin coating technique and study different functionalization strategies surfaces. The aim is also to evaluate the physicochemical and thermodynamic parameters in order to analyze the best interaction and adsorption of protein to metal surface, since different biomedical applications require different properties of protein-oxide interaction. Different strategies and functionalization of adsorption will be studied and tested in vitro biological systems.