Objective
The present project is focused on the evaluation of the adhesive surface properties under conditions of contact with the bio-medium and biocompatibility of nano-layered diamond-like carbon (DLC), carbon-containing (CC) films and multi-component nano-structured thin films deposited by PVD and CVD for various biomedical applications. The DLC and CC films will be formed by the direct ion-plasma flows of hydrocarbon vapors and by plasma chemical deposition. Nano-structured thin films based on the system Ti-X-Y (X=Al,Si,V,Zr,Nb, and Ca; Y=C,O, and N) will be deposited using unbalanced magnetron sputtering (UBMS) and ionised PVD (I-PVD) of composite targets. The work will encompass
(i) the development and fabrication of new composite targets by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS);
(ii) the subsequent deposition of composite thin films from these target using UBMS (PVD) and I-PVD;
(iii) analysing the ionised fraction of metal atoms for different PVD parameters and modelling of the ionisation mechanisms for different elements;
(iv) the microstructural evolution of the thin films (using TEM, HRTEM, SFM, SEM, SIMS, AES and XPS) as a function of ionised fraction of metal and non-metal atoms and various PVD and CVD processing parameters, and;
(v) the evaluation of the properties (adhesion, microhardness, roughness, density, toughness, elasticity, wear- and corrosion resistance, surface charge) of the thin films. The shape/morphology, modes of locomotion and cytoskeletal organizations of the two main types of tissue cells, fibroblasts and epitheliocytes, cultivated on various nanostructured substrata will be analysed.
The biocompatibility of the films will be evaluated by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro studies will involve the investigation of the adhesion of fibroblasts or epithelial cells to the films, morphometric analysis of the cells cultivated on the films, and immunofluorescence microscopic investigations of actin cytoskeleton in cells on the surface of tested films. In vivo studies will be fulfilled by subcutaneous implantation of plates coated with the tested films to mice in order to reveal the possible inflammatory reaction in the animals. The development of cell cultures for different nano-crystalline distributions will be studied and the relationship between nano-structured properties and biocompatibility will be established. The antibacterial activity and chemical inertness of the films in various biomedia will be achieved.
The proposed research project is interdisciplinary and the research program will be conducted jointly between six research teams: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (CO), University of Paris, Orsay (CR1), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Nice (CR2), Moscow Steel and Alloys Institute (CR3), Moscow State Aviation Technological University by K.E. Tsiolkovsky (CR4) and Cancer Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Medical Science (CR5). Each of these institutions provides a complementary range of expertise and research facilities that includes material scientists (CO, CR3), plasma processing and deposition experts (CO, CR1, CR4) as well as biologists (CR2, CR5). Research funds are being requested from the INTAS program to support the research that will be performed by CR3, CR4 and CR5 personal in Moscow (80%), while the research that will be performed at CO, CR1 and CR2 will be largely funded through industrial support and national research programs. Some 20% of INTAS funds will be used to supplement the travel expenses needed to facilitate the travel of the NATO team researchers to Moscow, labour costs for coordination and as a lump sum for management.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project has not yet been classified with EuroSciVoc.
Be the first one to suggest relevant scientific fields and help us improve our classification service
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Data not available
Coordinator
21020 Ispra (Va)
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.