BIOCOAT - Novel Deposition Method for Biomedical Applications

BIOCOAT explores a radically new coating approach that enables surfaces to acquire functional characteristics useful for a variety of applications and, specifically in this proposal, for biomedical applications. This surface functionalization will be obtained via ultrathin, stable coatings of nanoparticles deposited via Nanofluid Boiling (NB) with unprecedented methodological simplifications, drastic cost reductions, and close-to-zero environmental impact and health risks. A novel Nanofluid-based Deposition Technique (NBDT) will be developed through a joint and synergic effort involving chemists, materials scientists, engineers, bio-medical specialists. BIOCOAT will unlock the so far unimaginable possibility to transfer a highly specialized activity, performed by scientists in cleanrooms, or with vacuum technologies, or with complex instrumental designs, to anyone, anywhere in the world. The developed/resulting technology, NBDT, could be classified as a wet-chemical method but with the same precision of the more expensive and energy intensive PVD or CVD technologies. However, it represents a radically new approach, in that it uses the boiling process to enable a single step deposition, without any toxic or hazardous precursors. The expected unique features of NBDT will push the research on coating technology far beyond the current state-of-the-art. However, NBDT can only be achieved by conducting a systematic and rigorous research program, such as the one proposed here, which radically differs from what has been done for more than 20 years and that will lead to the targeted breakthroughs. Within BIOCOAT, the NBDT will be developed through an extensive experimental campaign involving innovative techniques (e.g.optical nanoscopy) and then validated on reference coatings for biomedical applications. Parallel modelling activities will build and validate a theory for nanoparticle deposition during NB as a function of the operating conditions, enabling further development of future surface functionalization based on NBDT. BIOCOAT changes the current point of view, tuning and controlling the colloidal stability of nanofluids via NB. The focus will be on biomedical applications, particularly on the case of bioactive coatings of bone implants with osseointegration and intrinsic biocide capabilities. This novel coating technique is envisaged to revolutionize this sector. The effectiveness of the obtained bioactive coatings on bone implants will be tested from chemical-physical, mechanical bioactive and cytotoxic point of views. BIOCOAT is by design transferable to several other applications thus it will enable unprecedented nano-coating options in biotechnology, transportation, electronics, 3D printing, etc. BIOCOAT has the potential of producing large social and economic impacts and benefiting from the possibility of creating new large markets. All the required competences are gathered within the consortium.