Formation of Periodic Nanostructures on Medical Polymer with Femtosecond Laser for Control of Cell Spreading

To enhance the biocompatibility of polymers for medical applications, femtosecond laser was employed to create periodic nanostructures on polymer surfaces, and cell culture tests were conducted on the polymers with periodic nanostructures. Polylactic acid (PLA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which are utilized in the fabrication of artificial bones, were utilized. Titanium plate and polymer plate were placed in close contact with each other, and a laser beam was focused on the titanium surface through the polymer to transfer the periodic nanostructures formed on the titanium surface. This process resulted in the formation of nanostructures on PLA and PMMA. Additionally, it was observed that cells exhibited a tendency to stretch along the direction of the periodic nanostructures, in comparison to the polymer that had not undergone laser irradiation. This finding suggests that the nanostructures contributed to an improvement in the biocompatibility of the polymers.