Biomaterials’ applications and performances are strongly related to their surface
properties, such as surface chemistry, surface energy, roughness, surface charge,
topography, hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity. In this chapter, the fundamental aspects of
some of these properties – in particular wetting, adhesion, roughness and topography – will
be elucidated. The relation between such surface features and the biocompatibility issues
will also be discussed briefly. The three main classes of biomaterials – polymers, metals
and ceramics – will be separately analyzed, listing a series of examples of the most
commonly employed surface modifying techniques for that class.
Keywords: Wetting, adhesion, roughness, topography, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity.
