Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents

Atherosclerosis remains a prevalent global disease, with coronary stents serving as a key treatment avenue. However, challenges persist, including issues of cellular compatibility, mechanical strength, and degradation rates across stent types. Polymeric Bioresorbable Stents (BRS) have shown promisin...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ana M. Sousa, Ana M. Amaro, Ana P. Piedade
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Applied Surface Science Advances
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523924000977
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832583004199845888
author Ana M. Sousa
Ana M. Amaro
Ana P. Piedade
author_facet Ana M. Sousa
Ana M. Amaro
Ana P. Piedade
author_sort Ana M. Sousa
collection DOAJ
description Atherosclerosis remains a prevalent global disease, with coronary stents serving as a key treatment avenue. However, challenges persist, including issues of cellular compatibility, mechanical strength, and degradation rates across stent types. Polymeric Bioresorbable Stents (BRS) have shown promising results in solving some of these problems. However, enhancing their mechanical performance and surface characteristics is imperative.Metallisation of polymeric parts has been indicated as a solution to improve the mechanical and surface performance of medical devices. This study explores the possibility of using metallic coatings deposited via non-reactive radiofrequency (rf) magnetron sputtering to increase the functionality of BRS. The metallic coatings were of biodegradable metals within the logic of a biodegradable invasive overall stent. Thus, the main objective of this research was to optimise the deposition parameters and evaluate the properties and characteristics of pure magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) coatings. The films were characterised by their structural, morphological, mechanical, and surface performance. The in vitro tests included the study of the degradation kinetics in simulated blood plasma (SBP). The influence of the surface modification of a polymeric coronary stent, both during and post-placement, was evaluated through finite element analysis (FEA) and compared with the pristine polymer.The results revealed that Mg coatings deposited at higher pressure exhibited lower mechanical properties and faster degradation behaviour, albeit with greater thickness and reduced water reactivity. Nevertheless, increasing the pressure reduces the probability of thrombus formation, making it suitable for use in Mg coatings. Conversely, Zn coatings deposited at lower pressure showcased favourable mechanical properties, thickness, and morphology, with minimal blood coagulation risk and comparable water reactivity to thin films deposited at higher pressure. The in silico outcomes of the coated stents showed that the elastic recoil observed after stent placement was reduced for the coated polymeric stents, resulting in recoil ratios comparable to those of permanent metallic structures made with CoCr. Overall, Zn films, particularly those produced at 0.4 Pa, emerge as optimal coatings for coronary stents, considering the results of the thorough experimental and numerical simulation characterisations.
format Article
id doaj-art-24920644a82d4c719fd5682e9f727b19
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-5239
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Applied Surface Science Advances
spelling doaj-art-24920644a82d4c719fd5682e9f727b192025-01-29T05:02:04ZengElsevierApplied Surface Science Advances2666-52392025-01-0125100669Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stentsAna M. Sousa0Ana M. Amaro1Ana P. Piedade2University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 3030-788, Coimbra, PortugalUniversity of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 3030-788, Coimbra, PortugalCorresponding author.; University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 3030-788, Coimbra, PortugalAtherosclerosis remains a prevalent global disease, with coronary stents serving as a key treatment avenue. However, challenges persist, including issues of cellular compatibility, mechanical strength, and degradation rates across stent types. Polymeric Bioresorbable Stents (BRS) have shown promising results in solving some of these problems. However, enhancing their mechanical performance and surface characteristics is imperative.Metallisation of polymeric parts has been indicated as a solution to improve the mechanical and surface performance of medical devices. This study explores the possibility of using metallic coatings deposited via non-reactive radiofrequency (rf) magnetron sputtering to increase the functionality of BRS. The metallic coatings were of biodegradable metals within the logic of a biodegradable invasive overall stent. Thus, the main objective of this research was to optimise the deposition parameters and evaluate the properties and characteristics of pure magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) coatings. The films were characterised by their structural, morphological, mechanical, and surface performance. The in vitro tests included the study of the degradation kinetics in simulated blood plasma (SBP). The influence of the surface modification of a polymeric coronary stent, both during and post-placement, was evaluated through finite element analysis (FEA) and compared with the pristine polymer.The results revealed that Mg coatings deposited at higher pressure exhibited lower mechanical properties and faster degradation behaviour, albeit with greater thickness and reduced water reactivity. Nevertheless, increasing the pressure reduces the probability of thrombus formation, making it suitable for use in Mg coatings. Conversely, Zn coatings deposited at lower pressure showcased favourable mechanical properties, thickness, and morphology, with minimal blood coagulation risk and comparable water reactivity to thin films deposited at higher pressure. The in silico outcomes of the coated stents showed that the elastic recoil observed after stent placement was reduced for the coated polymeric stents, resulting in recoil ratios comparable to those of permanent metallic structures made with CoCr. Overall, Zn films, particularly those produced at 0.4 Pa, emerge as optimal coatings for coronary stents, considering the results of the thorough experimental and numerical simulation characterisations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523924000977StentsRf-sputteringMagnesiumZincDeposition parametersCoating properties
spellingShingle Ana M. Sousa
Ana M. Amaro
Ana P. Piedade
Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
Applied Surface Science Advances
Stents
Rf-sputtering
Magnesium
Zinc
Deposition parameters
Coating properties
title Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
title_full Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
title_fullStr Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
title_full_unstemmed Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
title_short Optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
title_sort optimising metallic coatings strategies for enhanced surface performance of bioresorbable polymeric stents
topic Stents
Rf-sputtering
Magnesium
Zinc
Deposition parameters
Coating properties
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523924000977
work_keys_str_mv AT anamsousa optimisingmetalliccoatingsstrategiesforenhancedsurfaceperformanceofbioresorbablepolymericstents
AT anamamaro optimisingmetalliccoatingsstrategiesforenhancedsurfaceperformanceofbioresorbablepolymericstents
AT anappiedade optimisingmetalliccoatingsstrategiesforenhancedsurfaceperformanceofbioresorbablepolymericstents