The Need

Current methods for engineering micro- and nanoscale surface topographies on elastomeric materials are often costly, complex, and incompatible with scalable manufacturing. Yet, surface microstructures are critical for enhancing biological interactions in wound healing materials, such as promoting cell alignment, modulating inflammation, and improving tissue integration. There is a pressing need for a low-cost, scalable, and benchtop-compatible technique to create tunable surface features on biomedical elastomers.

The Technology

OSU engineers have developed a novel dielectric-mask-enhanced corona discharge method for generating tunable micro- and nanoscale wrinkle patterns on elastomeric substrates. The process uses a simple atmospheric corona discharge setup and a patterned dielectric mask to induce controlled surface instabilities, resulting in customizable wrinkle geometries. The method is compatible with standard lab and manufacturing environments, enabling rapid prototyping and scalable production of microstructured surfaces without the need for cleanroom facilities or complex lithography.

Commercial Applications

• Advanced wound dressings with cell-guiding surface topographies
• Bioactive scaffolds for tissue engineering
• Silicone-based wound interfaces with enhanced healing properties
• Microstructured coatings for implantable medical devices

Benefits/Advantages

• Low-cost and scalable: No need for cleanroom or vacuum systems
• Benchtop-compatible: Simple setup using atmospheric corona discharge
• Tunable surface features: Control over wrinkle wavelength and amplitude
• Broad material compatibility: Applicable to various elastomeric substrates