Electropolymerized PEDOT/TNTA hybrid composite: A promising biomaterial for orthopaedic application

Abstract

The premature failure after bone implantation was controlled by using conducting polymer incorporated implants. The fabrication of titania nanotube arrays (TNTA) on Cp-titanium have increased attention in biomedical field. The poly (3, 4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is a biocompatible conducting polymer with chemical stability and good corrosion resistance. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of PEDOT incorporation on TNTA for its corrosion resistance and biocompatibility in orthopaedic application. A well-ordered TNTA were developed by electrochemical anodization technique utilizing fluoride containing electrolyte. PEDOT was incorporated on TNTA through electropolymerization method. Surface morphology of TNTA and PEDOT/TNTA were studied using HR-SEM analysis. The occurrence of anatase crystalline phase was confirmed through XRD analysis. The chemical composition and functional group of PEDOT/TNTA were identified using XPS and ATR-FTIR spectroscopic studies. The water contact angle studies were carried out to investigate the wettability of the substrates before and after surface modifications. The corrosion resistance of TNTA and PEDOT/TNTA was ensured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization studies. The apatite formation in in-vitro studies of PEDOT/TNTA was evaluated by immersing the substrates in Hanks’ solution (simulated body fluid) after 7 days. In conclusion the developed PEDOT/TNTA can be a promising orthopaedic implant material.