Fabrication and antibacterial properties of cefuroxime-loaded TiO₂ nanotubes

The anodized titanium nanotubes (TiO₂-NTs) are considered to be a potential material in clinical therapy. To enhance the antibacterial property of TiO₂-NTs, cefuroxime is introduced into TiO₂-NTs, and then, different chitosan layers are coated to control the release of cefuroxime. SEM and FTIR are adapted for the characterization of prepared TiO₂-NTs. The effects of chitosan coating thickness on release of cefuroxime are also investigated, followed with the antibacterial property evaluation. The results show TiO₂-NTs are fabricated by anodization method and cefuroxime is also successfully loaded into the nanotubes. The thickness of chitosan coating is an important factor to the release rate of cefuroxime. Antimicrobial detection and morphology observation of S. aureus show a sustained 7-day drug release and strong negative effect on bacteria. The approach in this study provides a broadly applicable method to fabricate titanium-based orthopedic implants with enhanced antibacterial properties.