Michał Bartmański

Visiting researcher (Gdańsk University of Technology, Department of Biomaterials Technology, Poland)

Modification of Ti alloy surfaces for enhanced bioactivity

 

Supervisor: Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

Titanium and its alloys are still the most commonly used biomaterials for long-term, load-bearing implants. A number of modification methods, including electrophoretic deposition, are used to achieve suitable implant surface properties [1,2]. This project aims to characterise chitosan-based coatings obtained by electrophoretic deposition on the surface of Ti13Zr13Nb alloy, which is characterised by a lower Young’s modulus compared to Ti6Al4V. The coatings are doped with nanohydroxyapatite to increase bioactivity, and silver and zinc metallic nanoparticles to provide antibacterial properties. The microstructure, topography and adhesion of the coatings have been studied (at the Gdansk University of Technology, Poland). Research conducted in collaboration between the GUT Department of Biomaterials Technology and the FAU Institute of Biomaterials will include the evaluation of the antibacterial properties and the assessment of the cytotoxicity of the obtained modifications.

[1] M. Bartmanski et al., Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of nanohydroxyapatite – nanosilver coatings on Ti13Zr13Nb alloy, Ceram. Int. 43 (2017) 11820–11829.

[2] M. Bartmański et al., Properties of chitosan/CuNPs coatings electrophoretically deposited on TiO2 nanotubular oxide layer of Ti13Zr13Nb alloy, Mater. Lett. 308 (2022) 9–12.