Novel biocompatible coatings on the rise

IMPROVEMENTS and innovations in the protective coatings industry by 2020, as development of novel coating materials has been a trend in the industry for the last two years, analysis finds. This will give rise to a range of improved biocompatible and durable coatings that enable implant devices for use in orthopedic, orthodontic and cardiac applications.

“Innovations in Protective Coatings for Medical Devices”, new analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s Technical Insights subscription, finds that increasing biocompatibility is a major driver for implant coatings. Further encouraging patent developments are new standards for upcoming industry trends in protective coatings being created International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are creating.

"This is particularly important in cases of load-bearing implants with need for mechanical strength," said Technical Insights research analyst Sanchari Chatterjee. "Developing specialized coatings and techniques that prevent aggressive cell growth and aid the production of desirable endothelial cells rather than smooth muscle cells will also be crucial."

Successful implant coatings, such as by passivation techniques, enhance biocompatibility and promote healing processes by minimizing tissue rejection and better anchoring implants to the targeted area. Passivation – accomplished by coating implant material with polymer layers – have been successfully used in development of coatings and biomaterials to manufacture the most biocompatible implants.

Protective coatings require sophisticated raw materials that incur high costs, and demand for such materials across multiple industries make them even more expensive. One such resource is titanium, which has low availability and is in huge demand from industries such as aerospace, industrial and recreation.

Another material being researched  as a coating for silicone implants is spider silk, which is hypoallergenic, biodegradable and usable as coating for implants or as a drug carrier in pharmaceutics.

In the meantime, combination products such as therapeutic coatings of different materials are creating a stir in the industry. Coatings that use solutions as surface treatments too are gaining momentum. For instance, bone implant surfaces enriched with biomolecules can accelerate the bone healing process.