Title : Functionalizing Metal Phosphates to Synthesise Antimicrobial Biomaterials
Abstract:
Metal phosphates are an important group of materials with established technological and industrial applications that are still attracting special scientific interest, owing to their outstanding physical and chemical properties. Most of the conducted research regarding metal phosphates as biomaterials focus on calcium phosphate compounds (CPCs). To date, CPCs are among the most widely studied, and thus, accepted compounds for biomaterial applications together with less famous phosphates compounds, such as magnesium phosphates. In particular, resorbable phases have gained particular attention in recent years, owing to the revolution that has been encountered in this research field and the increased consideration of the bioreactivity (bio-functionality) of biomaterials side by side to their biocompatibility. Therefore, increased interest has been gained in brushite and its anhydrous form monetite that are among the most interesting resorbable CPCs that can be applied as cements and for in situ fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) implants. However, according to our recent investigations we found that there are other promising metal phosphates, based on titanium and zirconium, that can provide alternative materials to the heavily studied calcium-based metal phosphates.
In this talk, recent developments in this context will be discussed. In addition, the different polymorphs of titanium and zirconium phosphates will be highlighted focusing on their relatively easy synthetic routes and the possibilities they can provide in the biomaterials field if they are doped, enriched or intercalated with antimicrobial agents.
Audience take-away:
- This is an old-but-gold field of research with continuous progress and possibilities owing to the advancing characterization possibilities at the nanoscale and its increasing interest in the medical field.
- The talk will provide a highlight to the recent advancements and their future perspectives.
- This field is interdisciplinary and thus provides different possibilities for researchers involved from the chemical, physical, biological and medical fields.
