PVTF Nanoparticles Coatings with Tunable Microdomain Potential for Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVTF) nanoparticles coatings with electrically heterogeneous microdomains were engineered to mimic the natural electromechanical microenvironment of bone tissue, offering a novel strategy to enhance osteogenesis. Through a biphasic solvent phase separation method, PVTF nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and spin-coated onto substrates, followed by melt-recrystallization to achieve high β-phase crystallinity. The substrates were then subjected to corona poling, a process involving high-voltage corona discharge to electrically polarize and align the molecular dipoles. Structural and electrical characterization revealed tunable microdomain surface potentials and piezoelectric coefficients, correlating with enhanced hydrophilicity. Notably, microdomain potential—produced by controlled polarization—was shown to directly regulate cellular responses. In vitro studies demonstrated that a corona-poled PVTF NP coating significantly improved bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) proliferation and early osteogenic differentiation. This work establishes a surface electropatterning approach and highlights the critical role of electrical heterogeneity in bone regeneration, offering a novel strategy for bioactive biomaterial design.