Silk Fibroin Film Decorated with Ultralow FeCo Content by Sputtering Deposition Results in a Flexible and Robust Biomaterial for Magnetic Actuation

Del Bianco, Lucia; Spizzo, Federico; Lanaro, Filippo; Coi''sson, Marco; Agostinacchio, Francesca; Greco, Gabriele; Pugno, Nicola M.; Motta, Antonella

doi:10.1021/acsami.4c12853

Research article2024Peer reviewed

Silk Fibroin Film Decorated with Ultralow FeCo Content by Sputtering Deposition Results in a Flexible and Robust Biomaterial for Magnetic Actuation

Del Bianco, Lucia; Spizzo, Federico; Lanaro, Filippo; Coi''sson, Marco; Agostinacchio, Francesca; Greco, Gabriele; Pugno, Nicola M.; Motta, Antonella

Abstract

Magnetically responsive soft biomaterials are at the forefront of bioengineering and biorobotics. We have created a magnetic hybrid material by coupling silk fibroin-i.e., a natural biopolymer with an optimal combination of biocompatibility and mechanical robustness-with the FeCo alloy, the ferromagnetic material with the highest saturation magnetization. The material is in the form of a 6 mu m-thick silk fibroin film, coated with a FeCo layer (nominal thickness: 10 nm) grown by magnetron sputtering deposition. The sputtering deposition technique is versatile and eco-friendly and proves effective for growing the magnetic layer on the biopolymer substrate, also allowing one to select the area to be decorated. The hybrid material is biocompatible, lightweight, flexible, robust, and water-resistant. Electrical, structural, mechanical, and magnetic characterization of the material, both as-prepared and after being soaked in water, have provided information on the adhesion between the silk fibroin substrate and the FeCo layer and on the state of internal mechanical stresses. The hybrid film exhibits a high magnetic bending response under a magnetic field gradient, thanks to an ultralow fraction of the FeCo component (less than 0.1 vol %, i.e., well below 1 wt %). This reduces the risk of adverse health effects and makes the material suitable for bioactuation applications.

Keywords

magnetically responsive soft biomaterials; silk fibroin; FeCo alloy; magnetron sputtering deposition; magnetic bending

Published in

ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
2024, volume: 16, number: 38, pages: 51364-51375
Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC

SLU Authors

Greco, Gabriele
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- University of Trento

UKÄ Subject classification

Bio Materials
Nano-technology

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c12853

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/132658