Influence of Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Particles Doped with Cu and Mg on the Microstructure and Properties of Zein-Based Coatings Obtained by Electrophoretic Deposition

Abstract

Cu- and Mg-doped mesoporous sol-gel bioactive glasses (MSGG) were developed and their microstructure was investigated. Selected biological tests were also performed to assess their suitability for the functionalization of polymer zein coatings. The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) conditions to obtain composite coatings on Ti-13Nb-13Zr substrates were determined. The coatings with excellent adhesion to the substrates were macroscopically uniform, exhibiting open porosity and high roughness. The surfaces of the samples coated with MSGG/zein coatings became more hydrophilic than the titanium alloy substrates. However, with increase of the volume fraction of glass particles in the coatings, the contact angle increased. The coated alloy showed enhanced resistance to electrochemical corrosion in Ringer’s solution. The chemical composition of the glass used in the coating affected the parameters of wettability and resistance to electrochemical corrosion. Both coating types showed an increase in the antibacterial properties against Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria compared to pure zein. However, no significant differences were observed after a 24 h-long test.