Electrical signals guided entrapment and controlled release of antibiotics on titanium surface

Electrical signals are used to trigger the entrapment and release of antibiotics on the surface of titanium plate. The entrapment of antibiotics relies on the electrochemically induced pH gradient generated at the titanium surface that allows the gelation of an aminopolysaccharide chitosan and codeposition of vancomycin, a common antibiotic, within chitosan gel. The release of vancomycin is controlled by an anodic signal imposed to the titanium plate that causes a pH decrease and erosion of chitosan gel. We show that the on demand entrapment and release of vancomycin at the surface of titanium plate is fundamentally altered and controlled by voltage. We expect that this rapid, mild and facile electrochemical process for antibiotics loading and release will find applications in controlled drug release from titanium implants.