Interfacial superstructures and chemical bonding transitions at metal-ceramic interfaces

Metal-ceramic interfaces are scientifically interesting and technologically important. However, the transition of chemical bonding character from a metal to a nonoxide ceramic is not well understood. The effects of solute segregation and interfacial structural transitions are even more elusive. In this study, aberration-corrected electron microscopy is combined with atomic-resolution energy-dispersive x-ray and electron energy loss spectroscopy to investigate Ti-, V-, and Cr-segregated WC-Co interfaces as model systems. The experiments reveal the general anisotropic formation of reconstructed trilayer-like superstructures with segregant-specific compositional profiles that facilitate the transition from covalent to metallic electronic structures. Density functional theory calculations confirm the gradual increasing metallicity from WC to Co in the interfacial trilayers via increasing metallic solute concentration. This study uncovers unprecedented details of the sophisticated interfacial superstructures at metal-ceramic interfaces. It sheds light on how a metal transits to a ceramic at a “general” interface with strong segregation.

Bioinstructive Micro-Nanotextured Zirconia Ceramic Interfaces for Guiding and Stimulating an Osteogenic Response In Vitro

Osseous implantology’s material requirements include a lack of potential for inducing allergic disorders and providing both functional and esthetic features for the patient’s benefit. Despite being bioinert, Zirconia ceramics have become a candidate of interest to be used as an alternative to titanium dental and cochlear bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implants, implying the need for endowing the surface with biologically instructive properties by changing basic parameters such as surface texture. Within this context, we propose anisotropic and isotropic patterns (linear microgroove arrays, and superimposed crossline microgroove arrays, respectively) textured in zirconia substrates, as bioinstructive interfaces to guide the cytoskeletal organization of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The designed textured micro-nano interfaces with either steep ridges and microgratings or curved edges, and nanoroughened walls obtained by direct femtosecond laser texturing are used to evaluate the hMSC response parameters and osteogenic differentiation to each topography. Our results show parallel micro line anisotropic surfaces are able to guide cell growth only for the steep surfaces, while the curved ones reduce the initial response and show the lowest osteogenic response. An improved osteogenic phenotype of hMSCs is obtained when grown onto isotropic grid/pillar-like patterns, showing an improved cell coverage and Ca/P ratio, with direct implications for BAHA prosthetic development, or other future applications in regenerating bone defects.