Described is a composite material composed of an atomically thin (single layer) amorphous carbon disposed on top of a substrate (metal, glass, oxides) and methods of growing and differentiating stem cells.

A method and implant based on injection molding techniques. The method produces polymeric components suitable for implantation with a structure and mechanical properties close to those of natural bone tissue. In a variant, method for making an implant or component thereof includes forming a standard shape foamed blank, and over-molding a thin layer of non-foamed PEEK material onto the standard shaped foamed blank to obtain a final implant component geometry, whereby the blank is completely encapsulated by the over-molded layer.

There is disclosed a method of improving the reliability of coating an implantable medical device, such as a stent, with bioactive material in the absence of a carrier material such as a matrix or polymer layer. The method involves cleaning volatile components from the exposed surfaces of the medical device, removing carbon deposits and then applying a uniform carbon layer in a controlled environment. The deliberately applied carbon layer masks impurities of the underlying native oxide layer and leads to more uniform bioactive material coating not only a over the surfaces of a single medical device but also from device to device within a batch and between batches of devices. This improves production as well as optimising the amount and release of drug on the medical device without the need for a carrier material.

A composite coating and method for preparing the composite coating on titanium implants for tissue culture and tissue engineering is provided. The implants are characterized in that the titanium component to be coated is placed in a aqueous solution containing calcium cations, phosphate anions, and dispersed carbon nanoparticles (such as single layer graphene oxide or graphene oxide) in an amount of about 0.05%-1.50% by weight relative to the total weight of aqueous solution. The dimensions of the dispersed graphene oxide should be around, but not limited to, 300-800 nm (X-Y), while their thickness is about 0.7-1.2 nm. The aqueous solution with carbon nanoparticles is prepared by mixing for at least 72 h in temperature in range 20-35 C. and sonicated before electrodeposition process. In the prepared solution is further placed titanium which acts as cathode element (may be the implant), and anode which can be, for example, a platinum rod. Between the cathode and anode is set a potential from 1.3V to 1.7V which results in coating formation by electrodeposition. The titanium implant before the electrodeposition process is treated in sodium hydroxide of HF to improve coating formation and thickness.

The present invention relates to an implant consisting of a surface layer consisting of fibres and a matrix, having a first surface and a second surface opposite each other, and having a thickness that is at most 5% of the largest dimension of said surface layer; a porous biodegradable part having a first surface and a second surface opposite each other, wherein its first surface is attached to the second surface of the surface layer and having a thickness of 1-8 mm; and a membrane layer made of collage having a first surface and a second surface opposite each other, wherein its first surface is attached to the second surface of the porous part without covering the edges of the porous part; wherein its first surface is attached to the second surface of the porous part wherein the porous part comprises material selected from the group consisting of bioactive glass, bioactive ceramic, hydroxyapatite, tricalciumphosphate and mixtures thereof.

An implant comprises a substrate and a coating on a surface of the substrate, and the coating includes silicon nitride and has a thickness of from about 1 to about 15 micrometer wherein the silicon nitride coating has a composition defined by Si.sub.xN.sub.yW.sub.z, where W is C, H and/or O, 2<x<4, 3<y<5, and z is such that the coating contains less than 20 atomic percent of C, H and O.

The present invention provides an article, at least part of it being coated by inorganic fullerene-like (IF) nanoparticles or composite containing such nanoparticles. Preferably, the invention provides an article made of metal, for use in dentistry or medicine e.g. archwire, needle or catheter, having a friction-reducing film, and methods for coating such articles with a friction-reducing film.

A method for making a nerve graft includes the following steps. A culture layer including a lyophobic substrate, a carbon nanotube film structure, and a protein layer is provided. The carbon nanotube film structure is sandwiched between the lyophobic substrate and the protein layer. A number of nerve cells are seeded on a surface of the protein layer away from the lyophobic substrate. The nerve cells are cultured until a number of neurites branch from the nerve cells and are connected between the nerve cells.

A ventricular assist device (VAD) for use with a heart includes a housing, an upper membrane pump including a pumping chamber coupled to one-way upper inlet and outlet valves, a lower membrane pump including a pumping chamber coupled to one-way lower inlet and outlet valves, and an actuator that causes the upper membrane pump and the lower membrane pump to alternately draw blood into and pump blood out of their respective pumping chambers, and a control module in operative communication with the actuator, wherein the actuator operates with a pumping frequency which is greater than a pulse frequency of the heart.

A method of providing an anti-microbial coating on an object, comprises the steps of pre-treating the object in a first oxygen plasma to graft oxygen-based functional groups on the surface of the object by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition, coating the pre-treated object with a suspension of particulate graphene oxide to provide a graphene oxide coating on the object, treating the object in a hydrocarbon plasma to deposit an amorphous hydrocarbon film on the graphene oxide coating by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition, and treating the object in a second oxygen plasma configured to etch and flatten the coatings on the surface of the object. A prosthetic implant having a metal or metal alloy surface and an anti-microbial coating on all or part of the surface is also described.