Welcome at the Institute for Materials and Surface Technology/IMST - University of Applied Sciences Kiel

Research- and development activities at the IMST focus on the structuring and functionalizing of surfaces for antibiofouling purposes, optimized biocompatibility, energy storage etc.

Innovation Award 2019

In 2019 Professor Dr. Mohammed Es-Souni, chair of the Institute of Materials and Surface Technology, is rewarded with a price of 10.000 Euro for Innovation by the city of Kiel.

This was unanimously decided by the council board on March 21th, 2019. The price was handed over with a celebration on the second Sunday of the Kieler Woche 2019.

Kieler Nachrichten 30.06.2019

Recent success

As part of the cooperation project “SuperContact”, the IMST succeeded in modifying contact lens surfaces with an extremely thin, biocompatible and hydrophilic polymer layer that allows the lens to be durably wet with the tear film, thus increasing wearing comfort immensely.

Contact lens that was not modified. The water drop does not moisten the hydrophobic surface.

Modified contact lens surface: the wetting is perfect.

New Publication

Abstract

Implants based on NiTi shape memory alloys may be overgrown with cells which is undesirable in traumatology and stenting. The processing of a self-organized nanotube (NT) layer and its functionalization with a polymer that resists protein and cell adhesion can help solving this issue. The necessary mechanical strength of the layer should arise from its 3D structure and inorganic-organic nanocomposite character. The self-organized NT layer is obtained via potentiostatic anodization of NiTi alloy sheets.

Processing of nanotubes on NiTi-shape memory alloys and their modification with photografted anti-adhesive polymer brushes. Towards smart implant surfaces

SEM micrographs (A) top-view showing the nanotubular structure. The inset shows the structure at higher magnification. (B) is a cross-section micrograph of the nanotubes.
ESB micrograph NiTi-NTs with photografted SPE (A). The TMSPMA/SPE layer (arrows) between the NTs and covering the NTs shows a gray contrast (because it is rich in low atomic number elements).
(A) fluorescence micrograph of the structured sample surface with functionalized and non-functionalized stripes. Fluorescence is seen only on the non-functionalized stripes, indicating adherence of BSA; B-D are SEM micrographs corresponding to the tests with adherent bacteria. Colonies of bacteria (dark-gray patches, arrows) adhere only on the non-functionalized stripes; (D) is a high magnification micrograph showing that adherent bacteria on the non-functionalized NiTi-NT cause damage to the NT layer.

New Projects

Development of innovative scratch-resistant anti-Biofouling and corrosion protection coatings for sub-sea optical monitoring systems (U_GrAnt)

funded by the federal ministry for economic affairs and energy (BMWi) in context of the FINO3 platform

Nanosafety Fast Test

Funded by the European Union – Interreg 5a

Functionalized surfaces with hydrophilic and anti-adhesive properties for optimized silicone appliances in medical technology (SuperContact)

funded by the European Union – European Regional Development Fond (ERDF), the Federal Government and Land Schleswig-Holstein