Biomimetic hierarchical micro/nano texturing of TiAlV alloys by femtosecond laser processing for the control of cell adhesion and migration

The control of the interaction between materials and biological tissues is a key factor to optimize the overall performance of implants and prostheses integrated into the body. With this objective in mind, biomimetic hierarchical one- and two-dimensional surface patterns textured at the micro and nano scales were fabricated on titanium alloys using femtosecond laser processing. The experimental results show that laser irradiation promotes surface oxidation together with a polarization-dependent nano-ripple formation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were subsequently cultured on different surface patterns aiming at determining their response to the underlying micro and nano structures. The ripple topography was demonstrated to induce a nonfouling behavior, which could be exploited in the fabrication of biomimetic hierarchical surface patterns to develop cell-trapping modules.