Author(s)

Katarzyna Gurzawska, Kai Dirscherl, Yu Yihua, Inge Byg, Bodil Jørgensen, Rikke Svava, Martin W. Nielsen, Niklas R. Jørgensen, Klaus Gotfredsen

Dansk Fundamental Metrologi A/S, Lyngby, Denmark;.
Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark..
Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark..
Institute of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;.
Microtechnology and Surface Analysis, Danish Technological Institute, Taastrup, Denmark;.
Research Center for Ageing and Osteoporosis, Departments of Medicine and Diagnostics, Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Glostrup, Denmark;.

The titanium implant surface plays a crucial role for implant incorporation into bone. A new strategy to improve implant integration in a bone is to develop surface nanocoatings with plant-derived polysaccharides able to increase adhesion of bone cells to the implant surface. The aim of the present study was to physically characterize and compare polystyrene and titanium surfaces nanocoated with different Rhamnogalacturonan-Is (RG-I) and to visualize RG-I nanocoatings. RG-Is from potato and apple were coated on aminated surfaces of polystyrene, titianium discs and titanium implants. To characterize, compare and visualize the surface nanocoatings measurements of contact angle measurements and surface roughness with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy was performed. We found that, both unmodified and enzymatic modified RG-Is influenced surface wettability, without any major effect on surface roughness (Sa, Sdr). Furthermore, we demonstrated that it is possible to visualize the pectin RG-Is molecules and even the nanocoatings on titanium surfaces, which have not been presented before. The comparison between polystyrene and titanium surface showed that the used material affected the physical properties of non-coated and coated surfaces. RG-Is should be considered as a candidate for new materials as organic nanocoatings for biomaterials in order to improve bone healing.

Surface Properties; Titanium; Polystyrene; Rhamnogalacturonan-I; Osseointegration

Gurzawska, K. , Dirscherl, K. , Yihua, Y. , Byg, I. , Jørgensen, B. , Svava, R. , Nielsen, M. , Jørgensen, N. and Gotfredsen, K. (2013) Characterization of Pectin Nanocoatings at Polystyrene and Titanium Surfaces. Journal of Surface Engineered Materials and Advanced Technology, 3, 20-28. doi: 10.4236/jsemat.2013.34A1003.