NanoPORElution

Project Image:
Title of the project:
NanoPORElution
Teasertext:
Nano-porous drug eluting implant surfaces with tailored elution kinetics
Start:
01.04.2011
End:
31.03.2014
Project leader:
Dr. Martin Stelzle
Project funding:
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Project management:
  • VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH Düsseldorf
Funding reference number:
13N11221
Text:

NanoPORElution makes use of so-called nanosphere lithography in combination with thin etching masks to create nanopores in a variety of polymeric and metallic materials. Pores will be filled with agents in order to modulate tissue response and ingrowth behaviour of implants. This technology represents a crucial prerequisite for the fabrication of novel drug eluting coronary stents.

Description:

NanoPORElution makes use of so-called nanosphere lithography in combination with thin etching masks to create nanopores in a variety of polymeric and metallic materials. Pores will be filled with agents in order to modulate tissue response and ingrowth behaviour of implants. While this technology was demonstrated already on planar surfaces, application with implants featuring complex topologies is not yet established. This project aims at the development of process technology and its application to coronary stents in collaboration with industrial partners.

The following tasks are comprised in the project at the NMI:
i) development of hybrid nanopatterning processes utilizing of self assembly of nanoparticles as shadow masks on arbitrarily formed implant surfaces, in particular consisting of metal (titanium, steel) and polymers
ii) nanopores with large, well-defined aspect ratio and tailored eluting kinetics
iii) Nanomasks: thin, etch resistant masking layers on implant surfaces, for transfer of nanopattern into implant surface using an-isotropic etching processes
iv) an-isotropic etching processes for metallic and polymeric materials. Particularly based on electrochemistry and plasma technology.
v) ultra-thin, biocompatible polymer coatings based on self-assembled polyelectrolyte coatings to tailor elution kinetics from nanopores.

Project partners:
  • Plasmaelectronic GmbH
  • Qualimed GmbH, Winsen