Electrophoretic deposition of tough films for suture tear resistance

Electrophoretic deposition is a widely used technique to rapidly produce coatings for a range of materials including metals, ceramics, and polymers. The technique is advantageous because of its high speed, high purity of deposited material, and for producing layers of completely uniform thickness. More recently, research has attempted to use EPD for the fabrication of biomaterial films that can be used for a range of medical purposes.

The aim of this project is to develop an effective and reproducible method for electrophoretic deposition of collagen to rapidly manufacture films of arbitrary dimensions. These collagen-based films will be developed to have suitable mechanical properties to resist tearing when sutured and the biocompatibility of the films will be assessed for suitability of allowing cell growth in situ. Further work will aim to develop multi-layered films with command-set crosslinking agents, with the hope of creating a film that can be easily shaped and fixed by medical professionals within a surgical practice.