Wettability patterning of hydroxyapatite nanobioceramics induced by surface potential modification

Hydroxyapatite is known as a substrate for effective adhesion of various biological cells and bacteria as well implantable biomimetic material replacing defective bone tissues. It is found that low energy electron irradiation induces its strong surface potential variation and gives rise to pronounced wettability modification. The found electron-modulation method of the hydroxyapatite wettability enables both wettability switching and its microscopic patterning, which may be used for fabrication of spatially arrayed hydroxyapatite for biological cells immobilization, gene transfer, etc. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.