Porous Titanium Substrate Research Articles

Enhanced porous titanium biofunctionalization based on novel silver nanoparticles and nanohydroxyapatite chitosan coatings.

Titanium is widely used for implants however it presents limitations such as infection risk, stress shielding phenomenon, and poor osseointegration. To address these issues, a novel approach was proposed that involves fabricating porous titanium substrates, to reduce implant stiffness, minimizing stress shielding and bone resorption, and applying polymeric coatings to improve bioactivity. Composite coating prepared from chitosan, silver nanoparticles, and nanohydroxyapatite was optimized to enhance antibacterial properties and promote osseointegration. Chitosan with 80.5% of deacetylation degree was used to prepare composites with diverse compositions, including different methodologies of adding silver nanoparticles, with silver concentrations below toxic level. Antibacterial activity was tested with three different strains, including Gram+ and Gram- bacteria, demonstrating excellent inhibition after 21days. In addition, the induction of hydroxyapatite formation was investigated. Finally, the optimal porous metallic substrate that exhibited a more suitable stiffness (29GPa) (close to the cortical bone tissue they intend to replace) was chosen to be infiltrated with the selected composites. In summary, this synergistic approach based on the combination of porous titanium substrates with 60vol% porosity and a 355-500μm pore size distribution coated with 3%CS-nHA-AgNPs-TPP-AgNPsbath composite provided a potential solution to provide implants with improved biomechanical balance and biofunctionality.

Electrophoretic Deposition of Chitosan Coatings on the Porous Titanium Substrate.

Medicine is looking for solutions to help implant patients recover more smoothly. The porous implants promote osteointegration, thereby providing better stabilization. Introducing porosity into metallic implants enhances their biocompatibility and facilitates osteointegration. The introduction of porosity is also associated with a reduction in Young's modulus, which reduces the risk of tissue outgrowth around the implant. However, the risk of chronic inflammation remains a concern, necessitating the development of coatings to mitigate adverse reactions. An interesting biomaterial for such modifications is chitosan, which has antimicrobial, antifungal, and osteointegration properties. In the present work, a porous titanium biomaterial was obtained by powder metallurgy, and electrophoretic deposition of chitosan coatings was used to modify its surface. This study investigated the influence of ethanol content in the deposition solution on the quality of chitosan coatings. The EPD process facilitates the control of coating thickness and morphology, with higher voltages resulting in thicker coatings and increased pore formation. Ethanol concentration in the solution affects coating quality, with higher concentrations leading to cracking and peeling. Optimal coating conditions (30 min/10 V) yield high-quality coatings, demonstrating excellent cell viability and negligible cytotoxicity. The GIXD and ATR-FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of deposited chitosan coatings on Ti substrates. The microstructure of the chitosan coatings was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Biological tests showed no cytotoxicity of the obtained materials, which allows for further research and the possibility of their use in medicine. In conclusion, EPD offers a viable method for producing chitosan-based coatings with controlled properties for biomedical applications, ensuring enhanced patient outcomes and implant performance.

Titanium-Dioxide-Nanoparticle-Embedded Polyelectrolyte Multilayer as an Osteoconductive and Antimicrobial Surface Coating

Bioactive surface coatings have retained the attention of researchers and physicians due to their versatility and range of applications in orthopedics, particularly in infection prevention. Antibacterial metal nanoparticles (mNPs) are a promising therapeutic, with vast application opportunities on orthopedic implants. The current research aimed to construct a polyelectrolyte multilayer on a highly porous titanium implant using alternating thin film coatings of chitosan and alginate via the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique, along with the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs), for antibacterial and osteoconductive activity. These mNPs were characterized for their physicochemical properties using quartz crystal microgravimetry with a dissipation system, nanoparticle tracking analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Their cytotoxicity and osteogenic differentiation capabilities were assessed using AlamarBlue and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays, respectively. The antibiofilm efficacy of the mNPs was tested against Staphylococcus aureus. The LbL polyelectrolyte coating was successfully applied to the porous titanium substrate. A dose-dependent relationship between nanoparticle concentration and ALP as well as antibacterial effects was observed. TiO2NP samples were also less cytotoxic than their AgNP counterparts, although similarly antimicrobial. Together, these data serve as a proof-of-concept for a novel coating approach for orthopedic implants with antimicrobial and osteoconductive properties.

Electrochemical oxidation of carbamazepine in water using enhanced blue TiO2 nanotube arrays anode on porous titanium substrate

In this study, a blue TiO2 nanotube arrays anode on porous titanium substrate (Ti-porous/blue TiO2 NTA) was successfully fabricated by facile anodization and in situ reduction, and was used to investigate the electrochemical oxidation of carbamazepine (CBZ) in aqueous solution. The surface morphology and crystalline phase of the fabricated anode were characterized by SEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy and XPS, and the electrochemical analysis confirmed that blue TiO2 NTA on Ti-porous substrate had larger electroactive surface area, better electrochemical performance and higher ⋅OH generation ability than that on Ti-plate substrate. The removal efficiency of 20 mg L−1 CBZ in 0.05 M Na2SO4 solution reached 99.75% at 8 mA cm−2 after 60 min electrochemical oxidation, and the rate constant was 0.101 min−1 with low energy consumption. EPR analysis and free radical sacrificing experiments showed that ⋅OH played a key role in the electrochemical oxidation. The possible oxidation pathways of CBZ were proposed through the identification of degradation products, and the main reactions may involve deamidization, oxidization, hydroxylation and ring-opening. Compared with Ti-plate/blue TiO2 NTA anode, Ti-porous/blue TiO2 NTA anode displayed excellent stability and reusability, and is promising to be used in the electrochemical oxidation of CBZ in wastewater.

Fabrication of Boron-Doped Diamond Film Electrode for Detecting Trace Lead Content in Drinking Water.

This work aimed to fabricate a boron-doped diamond film electrode for detecting trace amounts of lead in drinking water so as to safeguard it for the public. Available detectors suffer from high costs and complex analytical processes, and commonly used electrodes for electrochemical detectors are subject to a short life, poor stability, and secondary pollution during usage. In this work, a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was prepared on a porous titanium substrate, and the microstructure and electrochemical properties of the BDD electrode were systematically studied. Moreover, the stripping parameters were optimized to obtain a better signal response and determine the detection index. As a result, diamond particles were closely arranged on the surface of the BDD electrode with good phase quality. The electrode showed high electrochemical activity, specific surface area, and low charge transfer resistance, which can accelerate the stripping reaction process of Pb2+. The BDD electrode presented a low detection limit of 2.62 ppb for Pb2+ under an optimized parameter set with an enrichment time of 150 s and a scanning frequency of 50 Hz. The BDD electrode also has good anti-interference ability. The designed BDD electrode is expected to offer a reliable solution for the dilemma of the availability of metal electrodes and exhibits a good application prospect in the trace monitoring of Pb2+ content in drinking water.

Novel Utilization of Therapeutic Coatings Based on Infiltrated Encapsulated Rose Bengal Microspheres in Porous Titanium for Implant Applications.

Despite the increasing progress achieved in the last 20 years in both the fabrication of porous dental implants and the development of new biopolymers for targeting drug therapy, there are important issues such as bone resorption, poor osseointegration, and bacterial infections that remain as critical challenges to avoid clinical failure problems. In this work, we present a novel microtechnology based on polycaprolactone microspheres that can adhere to porous titanium implant models obtained by the spacer holder technique to allow a custom biomechanical and biofunctional balance. For this purpose, a double emulsion solvent evaporation technique was successfully employed for the fabrication of the microparticles properly loaded with the antibacterial therapeutic agent, rose bengal. The resulting microspheres were infiltrated into porous titanium substrate and sintered at 60 °C for 1 h, obtaining a convenient prophylactic network. In fact, the sintered polymeric microparticles were demonstrated to be key to controlling the drug dissolution rate and favoring the early healing process as consequence of a better wettability of the porous titanium substrate to promote calcium phosphate nucleation. Thus, this joint technology proposes a suitable prophylactic tool to prevent both early-stage infection and late-stage osseointegration problems.

Fabrication and Characterization of Bioactive Gelatin-Alginate-Bioactive Glass Composite Coatings on Porous Titanium Substrates.

In this research work, the fabrication of biphasic composite implants has been investigated. Porous, commercially available pure Ti (50 vol % porosity and pore distributions of 100–200, 250–355, and 355–500 μm) has been used as a cortical bone replacement, while different composites based on a polymer blend (gelatin and alginate) and bioactive glass (BG) 45S5 have been applied as a soft layer for cartilage tissues. The microstructure, degradation rates, biofunctionality, and wear behavior of the different composites were analyzed to find the best possible coating. Experiments demonstrated the best micromechanical balance for the substrate containing 200–355 μm size range distribution. In addition, although the coating prepared from alginate presented a lower mass loss, the composite containing 50% alginate and 50% gelatin showed a higher elastic recovery, which entails that this type of coating could replicate the functions of the soft tissue in areas of the joints. Therefore, results revealed that the combinations of porous commercially pure Ti and composites prepared from alginate/gelatin/45S5 BG are candidates for the fabrication of biphasic implants not only for the treatment of osteochondral defects but also potentially for any other diseases affecting simultaneously hard and soft tissues.

Bioactive Bilayer Glass Coating on Porous Titanium Substrates with Enhanced Biofunctional and Tribomechanical Behavior

The use of porous titanium samples fabricated by space-holder powder metallurgy with bioactive coatings has already been reported to prevent resorption of the bone surrounding the implant and improve osseointegration, respectively. However, the presence of pores as well as the poor adherence and the brittle behavior inherent to glassy coatings affect the service behavior of implants fabricated from these samples. Therefore, they need to be optimized. In this work, 50 vol.% of porosity titanium substrates were manufactured with different pore range size (100–200 and 355–500 µm) spacer particles and coated with a bilayer of bioactive glasses (45S5/1393). The effect of the pores on the tribomechanical properties and infiltration of the bioactive glass 1393 along with the bioactivity of the bioactive glass 45S5 were evaluated by instrumented micro-indentation and scratch tests and the formation of hydroxyapatite in simulated body fluid. The results obtained were very promising as potential implants for the replacement of small tumors in cortical bone tissues, mainly due to the smaller pores that present an improved biomechanical and biofunctional balance.

Fabrication of air-permeable superhydrophobic surfaces with excellent non-wetting property

The superhydrophobic surface (SHS) is attractive for drag reduction, anti-icing, and anti-fouling, but its insufficient non-wetting property has limited its applications. This study aims to fabricate, characterize, and evaluate SHS with excellent non-wetting properties. The SHS is fabricated via electrochemical treatments and silanization, changing superhydrophilic porous titanium substrates into superhydrophobicity. Hierarchical micro/nano-structures and low-energy coating are created on substrates with interconnected micropores, resulting in high static contact angle (SCA) air-permeable SHS (i.e. SCA = 152.5°). The non-wetting property of the SHS, characterized by the interfacial reflection intensity, is reversibly recovered in the turbulent water flow test. An excellent non-wetting property is achieved by actively minimizing the pressure difference across the surface.

Synthesis and deposition of silver nanoparticles on porous titanium substrates for biomedical applications

Ti implants are highly biocompatible and allow orderly bone growth but, unfortunately, in the first five years after implantation, 5–10% of them fail due to poor osseointegration and to the presence of bacterial infections in prosthesis. Silver nanoparticles have been described to damage bacterial cell via prolonged release of Ag+ ions as a mode of action when immobilized on a surface. In this work, two routes to synthetize silver nanoparticles have been proposed including, on the one hand, a NaBH4-reduction and, on the other hand, a citrate-reduction combined with a stabilized biodegradable polymer. The deposition of these nanomaterials on porous Ti substrates previously fabricated using the space-holder technique (40 vol% and two size distributions, 100–200 and 355–500 μm) was investigated to aim for the best match. Before the deposition of nanoparticles accomplished by immersion, a silanization treatment of the substrate surface was carried out. After silver nanoparticles were deposited on the porous Ti substrates, microstructural characteristics and antibacterial behavior were evaluated against the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus on the AgNPs functionalized substrates. Finally, the preliminary qualitative analysis showed the presence of inhibitory halos, being more relevant in the substrates with larger pores.

Influence of the porosity and type of bioglass on the micro-mechanical and bioactive behavior of coated porous titanium substrates

In this study, the best equilibrium among adherence, micro-mechanical properties and coating bioactivity of bioactive glasses (45S5 and 1393) on porous titanium substrates has been explored and their potential uses for bone tissue implants. Porous titanium discs with different porosities (30 and 60 vol.%) and pore size distributions (100–200 and 355–500 µm) were utilized to rationalize their influence on both properties and performance. It was corroborated that porous samples produced a reduction in micro-hardness (~ 2000–4000 N/mm2) and the elastic modulus (~25–50 GPa), obtaining values closer to those of human bones, as well as induced a beneficial role to integrate the coatings. On one hand, bioglass 1393 presented greater capacity for pore infiltration while 45S5 was more bioactive. The results explained the better adherence and microhardness for bioglass 1393 and the significant formation of hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphates of bioglass 45S5, confirmed by 29Si MAS NMR.

Preparation of boron-doped diamond nanospikes on porous Ti substrate for high-performance supercapacitors

The study reports on the preparation of boron-doped diamond nanospikes (BDD-NSs), supported on porous titanium (Ti) substrate, using reactive ion etching (RIE) with oxygen plasma and their investigation as an electrode material for supercapacitors. The above architecture contributes to an ideal pathway for supercapacitors with good stability and high specific capacitance. As a result, the BDD electrode etched for 5 min (BDD-NSs-5) achieved good performance with a high specific capacitance of 70.6 mF cm−2 at a current density of 0.32 mA cm−2 and a capacitance retention of 84.3% after 15,000 cycles. Moreover, the BDD-NSs-5 electrode was assembled into a symmetric supercapacitor device. The device achieved high energy and power densities of 9.24 mJ cm−2 and 1.26 mW cm−2, respectively, implying enhanced potential for real-time applications. For practical application, the BDD-NSs-5 electrode was used for rotating a home-designed windmill device and the solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device can light up a red LED for 20 s after being charged to 3.0 V.

Biofunctional and Tribomechanical Behavior of Porous Titanium Substrates Coated with a Bioactive Glass Bilayer (45S5-1393).

The porous substrates of commercially pure titanium have been coated with a novel bilayer of bioactive glasses (BGs), 45S5 and 1393, to improve the osseointegration and solve the stress-shielding phenomenon of titanium partial implants. The porosity of the substrates and the scratch resistance and bioactivity of the coating have been evaluated. Results are discussed in terms of stiffness and yield strength of the substrates, as well as the chemical composition, thickness, and design of the bioglass coating (monolithic vs bilayer). The role of the pores was a crucial issue in the anchoring of the coating, both in porosity percentage (30 and 60 vol %) and in pore range size (100-200 and 355-500 μm). The study was focused on the adhesion and infiltration of a 1393 bioglass layer (in contact with a porous titanium substrate), in combination with the biofunctionality of the 45S5 bioglass layer (surrounded by the host bone tissue), as 1393 bioglass enhances the adherence, while 45S5 bioglass promotes higher bioactivity. This bioactivity of the raw powder was initially estimated by nuclear magnetic resonance, through the evaluation of the chemical environments, and confirmed by the formation of hydroxyapatite when immersed in a simulated body fluid. The results revealed that the substrate with 30 vol % of porosity and a range of 355-500 μm pore size, coated with this novel BG bilayer, presented the best combination in terms of mechanical and biofunctional properties.

Porous titanium substrates coated with a bilayer of bioactive glasses

Porous titanium substrates coated by dripping-sedimentation technique with a novel bilayer of (45S5 / 1393) bioactive glasses are proposed to overcome some limitations of the use of titanium for implants, such as the stress shielding and the poor osseointegration. Composition, thickness, roughness and micromechanical behavior (P-h curves) of the coating and the influence of the porous titanium substrates have been characterized. Best results were found for the substrate with 30 vol.% of porosity and a range size of 355 ‒ 500 μm, since it enhanced the mechanical and biofunctional behavior, due to the good adhesion of the 1393 bioglass to the substrate and the greater bioactivity of the 45S5 bioglass, which would be in contact with the bone.

High-flux and high rejection TiO2 nanofibers ultrafiltration membrane with porous titanium as supporter

Both high permeability and high selectivity are advantageous for separation membrane materials. It is a huge challenge to fabricate a membrane that simultaneously possesses both high permeability and high rejection. Here, we fabricated a TiO2 nanofibers ultrafiltration membrane by depositing hydrogen titanate nanofibers on a porous titanium substrate and sintering at 450 °C. The porous titanium supported TiO2 nanofibers ultrafiltration membrane has a superhydrophilic separation layer and a high pure water flux of 940 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. The average pore size of the TiO2 nanofibers ultrafiltration membrane is 14 nm. The nanoparticles that particle size is smaller than pore size of TiO2 nanofibers ultrafiltration membrane such as Bovine serum albumin (BSA, 11 nm) and 3 nm TiO2 nanoparticles can be rejected with high permeation flux and high rejection efficiency. The obtained ultrafiltration membrane exhibits excellent antifouling property, the flux recovery ratio reaches to 97%. Also, the fouling of the TiO2 nanofibers ultrafiltration membrane can be removed by heating treatment, the permeation flux of the membrane can be easily recovered.

Enhanced performance of an Al-doped SnO2 anode for the electrocatalytic oxidation of organic pollutants in water

To prepare an anode with high catalytic activity, long service life and suitability for electrochemical oxidation of industrial wastewater, a noble Al-doped SnO2-Sb electrode on a porous titanium substrate was prepared via an improved sol-gel process. The Al concentration in the sol for the doped metallic oxide on the electrode was investigated. The surface morphologies of the electrodes were characterized via SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS. The electrochemical properties and stabilities of the anodes were investigated by CV, LSV, EIS and accelerated life tests. The surface of the SnO2-Sb-Al anode was uniform and compact when the amount of doped Al was 2.0 at.%, and it possessed the smallest particle size with a long service life. Moreover, the SnO2-Sb-Al-2 anode had the highest oxygen evolution potential (1.57 V). The mineralization degree of phenol reached 69.2% after 2 h when the effective area of the SnO2-Sb-Al-2 anode was 8 cm2 and the applied current density was 10 mA/cm2. Thus, the electrode is suitable for printing, dyeing, and electroplating, while also having potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry and in wastewater cleanup of other refractory biodegradables.

Enhancement of mineralization on porous titanium surface by filling with nano-hydroxyapatite particles fabricated with a vacuum spray method.

Nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HA) coating has been proved to be effective to modify the titanium surface for better bone formation. A simple and economical nano-HA coating method that filling the nano-HA particles into the porous titanium substrate by using vacuum suction was introduced in this study. Two kinds of nano-HA modified titanium surfaces, nano-HA filled type (nHA-f) and nano-HA coated type (nHA-c), were prepared by a 2-step and 3-step protocol, respectively. Nano-HA modified titanium surfaces with and without thermal treatment were compared. The physicochemical properties including morphology, elemental composition, coating thickness, adhesion strength and in vitro mineralization ability were characterized. The SEM results showed that nano-HA particles were effectively filled into the porous titanium substrate under the function of vacuum suction in the nHA-f and nHA-f-heat groups. The thickness of the nano-HA layer was about 1μm and 7-8μm in the nano-HA filled type and nano-HA coating type, respectively. Localized separation between the nano-HA layer and the titanium substrate was observed in the thermal-treated groups, which may increase the risks of detachment. In the in vitro mineralization test, the unheated groups (nHA-f and nHA-c) showed promoted calcium phosphate compounds deposition than the heated groups (nHA-f-heated and nHA-c-heated) because of the active biological behavior of the amorphous nano-HA; the nHA-f group with a thin nano-HA layer showed no difference to the thick coating group (nHA-c) at the early stage, which was due to the effect of the porous structure as a cage to protect the nano-HA particles from fast dissolution. In conclusion, the vacuum spray method is effective to create a thin amorphous nano-HA layer with improved adhesion strength and sustained-release ability to induce mineralization by filling the nano-HA particles into the porous titanium substrate without thermal treatment.

Bacterial behavior on coated porous titanium substrates for biomedical applications

In this work, bacterial behavior on dense and porous titanium substrates is discussed. Porous titanium was fabricated by a space holder technique (using 50 vol%, NH4HCO3 with particle sizes between 250 and 355 μm). These substrates were coated by sulfonated PEEK (termed SPEEK). Characterization of the porous substrate was carried out using the Archimedes Method, Image Analysis, and three-dimensional X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography (including total and interconnected porosity, equivalent diameter, and pore shape factor), as well as mechanical characterization (specifically stiffness and yield strength). A detailed study was performed here to investigate the influence of substrate porosity on the adhesion and proliferation of E. coli, MRSA, and P. aeruginosa (common causes of orthopedic device-associated infections). Bacterial colonization was examined in terms of the initial bacterial concentration, as well as bacterial adherence to and growth on the surface and inside the pores. Results suggest that fully dense titanium supported the least bacterial colonization, while the porous titanium promoted bacterial growth in the medium and inside the cavities. Furthermore, the SPEEK coating deposited onto the samples inhibited bacteria growth inside the porous materials. In this manner, this study showed for the first time that SPEEK could have potential antibacterial properties to offset the increase in bacteria growth commonly observed in porous materials.

Comparative study on the effects of different structural Ti substrates on the properties of SnO2 electrodes

To investigate the influence of substrate structure on the properties of titanium-based tin oxide electrodes, Ti/SnO2 with porous titanium, planar titanium, titanium mesh, and titanium-copper alloy as substrates was prepared by a thermal decomposition method. Electrodes were characterized and tested by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical techniques, and accelerated life tests. The surface morphology, phase composition, electrochemical performance, and service life of the electrodes were studied and analysed. With phenol as the target pollutant, the effects of different substrates on the electrocatalytic degradation performance of the electrodes were investigated. The porous Ti/SnO2-Sb-La electrode prepared by the porous titanium substrate has finer surface grains and a larger specific surface area. The phenomena of “cracking” and “agglomeration” are obviously improved. At the same time, the oxygen evolution potential increased to 2.09 V, and the membrane impedance decreased to 5.722 Ω. The degradation experiment of simulated phenol wastewater reveals that the porous Ti/SnO2-Sb-La electrode has the highest phenol degradation rate of 90.8% and a removal rate of COD of 79.9% within 120 min. Additionally, the porous Ti/SnO2-Sb-La electrode has the longest accelerated service lifetime of 105 min, which is 5 times that of the planar Ti/SnO2-Sb-La electrode. It can be seen from the experimental results that the electrode prepared by using the novel porous titanium as the matrix has obvious electrochemical performance, service life and current utilization efficiency advantages in the degradation process. At the same time, it is further proved that the electrode substrate has a significant effect on the electrode performance in the electrochemical treatment of phenol-containing water.

Bioactive coatings on porous titanium for biomedical applications

Commercial pure titanium is a recognized and accepted material for cortical bone tissue substitution. However, stress-shielding phenomena and lack of osseointegration result in significant limitations. This work is focused on the achievement of an effective solution for both problems via fabrication of porous titanium substrates coated with bioactive glass. Substrates were obtained through the space holder technique giving values of stiffness and yield strength compatible with cortical bone tissue to reduce the stress-shielding phenomenon. Titanium substrates were coated with different number of layers of bioactive glass 45S5 by dripping sedimentation. The substrates porosity was characterized by different techniques. Ultrasound, compression and micro-mechanical testing were used for mechanical properties evaluation. After substrates coating, the infiltration ability, coating homogeneity and structural integrity (chipping and cracking) were evaluated for each coating layer. The chemical composition of coating and phases were studied before and after in vitro tests in Simulated Body Fluid. The results showed more homogenous coating, adherence and greater hydroxyapatite growth for the tri-layer system in both dense and porous samples. Besides, the relation of Ca/P was closed to that of stoichiometric hydroxyapatite in the human body. The coated porous titanium could be potentially used in load bearing partial implants with improved osseointegration.