Laying the foundations for drag reduction using ferrofluids in stent applications

This project aims at laying the foundations for drag reduction in stent applications using ferrofluids. To achieve this, it will develop cutting-edge technology for the reduction of stent thrombosis and restenosis events, based on a multidisciplinary approach linking fluid mechanics and biomedical engineering. The nanotechnology is based on magnetorheological fluids, also called ferrofluids (FFs), which will be used as a lubricant for the reduction of harmful wall shear stresses generated at the stent surface. The objectives are, firstly, to evaluate the performance in terms of magnetoviscous effects of various biocompatible FFs varying shear and magnetic field strength to select the best candidate FFs for stents. Secondly, we will evaluate the fundamentals of FF-based drag reduction by performing extensive FF-coated pipe flow experiments. Thirdly, we will evaluate the efficiency of the novel drag reduction technique in magnetized stents in vitro. Finally, we will verify the ability of FFs to mitigate blood damages, thrombus formation and the probability of re-stenosis. In this project, principles of fluid mechanics are combined with nanotechnology to advance our understanding of the physics of drag reduction and exploit this to establish the foundations for a novel biomedical engineering application, namely, the next generation of stents termed Drag Reducing Stents (DRS). The proposed technology strives to complement or even replace adjunctive pharmacological treatments usually adopted after stent implantation, which often have significant harmful side effects. It thus has the potential to improve the quality of life of millions of patients worldwide that undergo coronary stenting each year, and to provide a new solution for patients in which pharmacological therapies cannot be prescribed. More broadly, the project results are also expected to foster other applications of FFs in the bioengineering medical field, e.g. lubricated mechanical heart valves, and to aid the development of new drag reduction techniques applicable in other research areas (e.g., naval sector and oil pipe industries) that seek to reduce energy losses for greener technology.