Electrophoretic Deposition of Chitosan-based Composite Coatings for Biomedical Applications: A Review

This article presents a comprehensive review of the field of EPD of chitosan-based composite coatings by highlighting their microstructural, mechanical, surface, and biological properties. Since suspension characteristics have significant influences on the deposition mechanisms, kinetics, and overall properties of the electrophoretically deposited coatings, suspension parameters such as concentration, viscosity, and zeta potential are discussed including chitosan-based suspensions with hydroxyapatite, bioactive glass, carbonaceous materials and other inorganic and organic materials. The deposition mechanisms proposed for each composite system are highlighted. Moreover, effects of key process parameters of EPD on the microstructural homogeneity, mechanical properties as well as surface and biological characteristics of these coatings are emphasised, and specific approaches for future research are proposed based on the state-of-the-art and considering EPD chitosan-based coatings in applications such as tissue engineering and drug delivery systems.
Source: Progress in Materials Science - Category: Materials Science Source Type: research