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Reactive ion etching for fabrication of biofunctional titanium nanostructures
Mahya Ganjian1, Khashayar Modaresifar2, Hongzhi Zhang3
1Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD, Delft, The Netherlands. m.ganjian@tudelft.nl.
Scientific Reports
|December 13, 2019
Summary
Fabricating titanium (Ti) nanostructures using inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP RIE) can create surfaces that inhibit bacterial growth and promote bone cell attachment for improved bone implants.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Surface Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Implant-associated infections are a major challenge in bone surgery due to bacterial and host cell competition for surface adhesion.
- Developing bactericidal nanostructures on implant surfaces is crucial for preventing infections and enhancing osseointegration.
- Titanium (Ti) is a widely used biomaterial for bone implants, necessitating surface modifications for improved performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the impact of inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP RIE) processing parameters on titanium (Ti) nanostructure formation.
- To characterize the morphology, wettability, and mechanical properties of the fabricated Ti nanostructures.
- To evaluate the bactericidal efficacy and cytocompatibility of the modified Ti surfaces for bone implant applications.
Main Methods:
- Titanium surfaces were etched using ICP RIE with varying chamber pressures.
- Surface morphology was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
- Wettability was measured via contact angle analysis, and mechanical properties were assessed using nanoindentation.
Main Results:
- ICP RIE produced diverse Ti nanostructures, including nanopillars with diameters ranging from 26.4 to 76.0 nm and lengths from 0.5 to 5.2 μm.
- Surface wettability varied across the hydrophilic spectrum based on etching parameters.
- Nanostructures fabricated at higher chamber pressures exhibited enhanced mechanical properties.
- Selected surfaces demonstrated bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, alongside good cytocompatibility with preosteoblasts.
Conclusions:
- ICP RIE is a viable method for creating Ti nanostructures with tunable properties for bone implants.
- Optimized ICP RIE parameters can yield Ti surfaces possessing both bactericidal and osteogenic potential.
- Further process optimization is essential to maximize the biofunctional performance of these nanostructured titanium surfaces for clinical applications.
