Abstract
The surface treatment of titanium implants has been applied mainly to increase surface bioactivity and, more recently, to introduce antibacterial properties. To this end, composite coatings have been investigated, particularly those based on hydroxyapatite. The present research was aimed at the development of another coating type, chitosan–nanosilver, deposited on a Ti13Zr13Nb alloy. The research comprised characterization of the coating’s microstructure and morphology, time-dependent nanosilver dissolution in simulated body fluid, and investigation of the nanomechanical properties of surface coatings composed of chitosan and nanosilver, with or without a surface-active substance, deposited at different voltages for 1 min on a nanotubular TiO2 layer. The microstructure, morphology, topography, and phase composition were examined, and the silver dissolution rate in simulated body fluid, nanoscale mechanical properties, and water contact angle were measured. The voltage value significantly influenced surface roughness. All specimens possessed high biocompatibility. The highest and best adhesion of the coatings was observed in the absence of a surface-active substance. Silver dissolution caused the appearance of silver ions in solution at levels effective against bacteria and below the upper safe limit value.
Highlights
Titanium and its alloys are the most promising biomaterials applied for long-term orthopedic, dental, and maxillofacial implants
All of the results are presented as the mean ± standard deviation (SD)
Chitosan–nanosilver coatings were deposited on the nanotubular oxide layer of Ti13Zr13Nb alloy
Summary
Titanium and its alloys are the most promising biomaterials applied for long-term orthopedic, dental, and maxillofacial implants. The rejection of long-term implants observed during the primary and long-term fixation period has resulted in the development of a variety of antibacterial titanium surfaces for titanium implants, with the most popular including Ag, Cu, Zn, F, Y, Fe, N, Co, antibiotics, chitosan, and peptides [2,3]. Chitosan is a chemical compound with specific antibacterial properties [2,8,9,10]. Multiple coatings have been developed to improve these biological properties. Chitosan–AgNP coatings showed an inhibitory effect on the growth of some pathogens and reduced biofilm formation with no observed cell cytotoxicity in one study [13]. Chitosan-based films containing silver nanoparticles were shown to have wetting properties highly sensitive to the fraction of AgNPs [14]. Silver, and hydroxyapatite exhibited antibacterial activity and were nontoxic to MC3T3-E1 cells [15]; chitosan coatings with silver-decorated calcium phosphate microspheres lowered bacterial viability up to 90% [16], and silver-doped β-tricalcium phosphate composite coatings exhibited antibacterial activity and no adverse cytotoxic effects towards the cell line MG-63 [17]
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