Optimal submicron roughness for balancing degradation behavior, immune modulation, and microbial adhesion on...

Metallic zinc (Zn) has been demonstrated to be a promising alternative to barrier membrane materials for guided bone regeneration. Surface roughness significantly affects the properties of degradable Zn-based metals, especially within the Janus micro-environments of tissue regeneration. However, the effects of optimal surface roughness on Zn remain unknown. In this study, pure Zn surfaces were fabricated with three roughness scales: nano (Sa < 0.1 μm), submicron (Sa: 0.5-1.0 μm), and micron (Sa > 1.0 μm). Submicron-scale pure Zn exhibited a moderate degradation rate in simulated body fluids, and no deep corrosion pits appeared on the surface. By contrast, the degradation rate of nano-surface pure Zn decreased significantly, while localized corrosion tended to appear on micron surfaces. In addition, the degradation rate of Zn with different roughness was overall accelerated in artificial saliva, accompanied by varying degradation morphologies. Co-culturing with submicron samples inhibited macrophage polarization to the M1 phenotype. Nano-scale surfaces promoted macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype and exhibited significantly reduced antibacterial rates compared to rougher surfaces. These findings demonstrate that submicron-scale pure Zn could be an optimal choice for barrier membrane surfaces.