Surface treatment of magnetron-sputtered tantalum pentoxide coatings and its effect on the phenotype and function of immune cells in vitro

Abstract

The effect was analyzed of surface treatment by argon ions and electron beam on the properties of tantalum pentoxide coatings deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering and the treatment’s correlation with immune cells response. The characteristics of the coatings were determined by means of energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results demonstrate that the electron-irradiation post-treatment process stimulates the adhesive potential and phagocytic activity of antigen-presenting cells.