Ryan M. Bock

TL;DR: In this paper, a Si3N4 bioceramic formulation was exposed to thermal, chemical, and mechanical treatments in order to induce changes in surface composition and features, including grinding and polishing, etching in hydrofluoric acid solution, and heating in nitrogen or air.

TL;DR: This study demonstrates the ease with which significant changes to Si3N4's surface phase composition, charging, and wetting behavior can be induced, and represents an initial step towards a mechanistic understanding of the interaction between implant surfaces and the biologic environment.

TL;DR: New insights are obtained into the biological interactions between Si3N4 and living cells, as a consequence of the off-stoichiometric chemical nature of its surface at the nanometer scale and it is suggested that Si3n4 might provide unique new medicinal therapies and effective remedies for various bone or joint maladies and diseases.

TL;DR: Exploiting the peculiar surface chemistry of Si3N4 bioceramics could be helpful in counteracting Porphyromonas gingivalis in an alkaline pH environment.

TL;DR: Si3 N4 is a new biomaterial with the apparent potential to inhibit biofilm formation and is likely due to multivariate surface effects including submicron-topography, negative charging, and chemical interactions which form peroxynitrite (an oxidative agent).