Novel Thin Film Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

自20世纪60年代以来，通过使用“冷”（非平衡）低压（LP）等离子体的薄膜沉积和蚀刻在信息技术中取得了突出成就。这两个过程和第三个过程，聚合物的表面改性，现在也被用于许多其他行业。最近，在实施大气压（AP）冷等离子体，主要是介质阻挡放电（DBD）品种，这三个过程类别已经取得了很大的进展。除了直接使用LP和AP等离子体之外，还可以通过真空紫外（VUV，λ = 200 nm）光化学来进行这样的过程，因为商业（基于等离子体的）VUV源可以有效地将电能转换成短波长光子。（单能）光化学相对于（LP-和AP-）等离子体的潜在优点是前者可导致更具靶向的反应，具有更高的所需产物产率。多年来，申请人实验室的所有类型（LP、AP、VUV）的研究已经产生了400多篇参考出版物， 在二十多项专利中，以及在许多工业技术转让中。他提出了创新的研究重点是新的AP等离子体技术和沉积在合适的基板上的有机薄膜，用于生物技术（如组织工程）的应用。这种涂层必须富含某些类型的化学官能团，例如伯胺（-NH 2）、羧基（COOR）、羟基（-OH）或硫醇（-SH）基团，它们必须牢固地粘附于各种基底材料，必须抵抗大气中的“老化”和水性（细胞培养）介质中的溶解，以及其他标准。最后，当然，它们必须首先从培养的细胞类型中引发所需的生物反应。后一个方面要求与任何特定分项目中涉及的细胞生物学和医学科学专家密切合作。在过去的十年中，申请人的实验室发展了合作网络，主要是与麦吉尔大学和蒙特利尔大学医学院的高级研究人员合作。* 最近，NSERC特别将“等离子体应用”纳入跨学科材料研究领域，这些领域具有特别高的社会经济影响潜力;等离子体医学（PM）显然可以使加拿大人的医疗保健受益，就像它在欧洲一样。**

Deposition of thin films and etching via the use of “cold” (thermodynamically non-equilibrium) low-pressure (LP) plasmas achieved prominence in information technology since the 1960s. Those two processes and a third, surface modification of polymers, are now also being used in many other industries. Recently, there has been much progress in implementing atmospheric-pressure (AP) cold plasmas, mostly the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) variety, for those three process categories. Beside direct use of LP and AP plasmas, it is also possible to carry out such processes by vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV, lambda = 200 nm) photo-chemistry, since commercial (plasma-based) VUV sources can efficiently convert electrical energy into short-wavelength photons. A potential advantage of (mono-energetic) photo- chemistry over (LP- and AP-) plasma is that the former may result in more targeted reactions, with higher yields of the desired products. Research in the applicant's laboratory of all types (LP, AP, VUV) above has over the years resulted in well over 400 refereed publications, in two dozen patents, and in much technology transfer to industry. He proposes innovative research focused on novel AP plasma techniques and on thin organic films deposited on suitable substrates for use in bio-technological (e.g. tissue engineering) applications. Such coatings must be rich in certain types of chemical functionalities, for example in primary amines (-NH2), carboxylic (COOR), hydroxyl (-OH), or thiol (-SH) groups, they must adhere strongly to various substrate materials, must resist “aging” in atmosphere and dissolution in aqueous (cell-culture) media, among other criteria. Finally, of course, they must first and foremost elicit the desired bio-response from the cell-type(s) being cultured. This latter aspect calls for close collaboration with specialists in the cell-biological and medical sciences that are being addressed in any given sub-project. During the past decade, the applicant's laboratory has developed networks of collaborations, mostly with senior researchers in the medical faculty of McGill and Montreal universities. ***In the recent past NSERC specifically included “Plasma Applications” among areas of Interdisciplinary Materials Research that possess particularly high potential for socioeconomic impact; Plasma Medicine (PM) clearly can benefit healthcare for Canadians, as it already has in Europe. **