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Taking Hydroxyapatite-Coated Titanium Implants Two Steps Forward: Surface Modification Using Graphene Mesolayers and
A M Fathi1, M K Ahmed2,3, M Afifi3,4
1Physical Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.
ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|December 18, 2020
Summary
A novel graphene-intermediate composite scaffold enhances titanium implant biocompatibility and osseointegration. This multilayer design improves cell adhesion, proliferation, and corrosion resistance for orthopedic and tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science and Engineering
- Nanotechnology in Medicine
- Orthopedic Implant Technology
Background:
- Hydroxyapatite (HAP) coatings improve titanium implant bioactivity but lack porosity for cell infiltration.
- Polymeric scaffolds promote osseointegration but face challenges in bonding to hydrophilic titanium.
- Existing composite scaffolds of carbonated HAP (CHAP) nanoparticles in PCL nanofibers show poor adhesion to titanium.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the challenge of bonding composite scaffolds to titanium implants.
- To investigate the effect of a graphene nanosheet intermediate layer on scaffold adhesion and implant properties.
- To evaluate the influence of graphene deposition duration on material characteristics and biological performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a composite scaffold (CHAP nanoparticles in PCL nanofibers) on titanium substrates.
- Deposition of an intermediate graphene nanosheet layer using pulsed laser deposition with varying durations (0-20 min).
- Characterization of surface properties (atomic composition, fiber orientation, roughness, wettability) and in vitro cell response (fibroblast adhesion, proliferation, morphology).
Main Results:
- Graphene interlayer facilitated scaffold bonding to titanium, overcoming hydrophilicity mismatch.
- Human fibroblasts demonstrated robust adhesion, spreading, and proliferation on graphene-scaffold coated substrates.
- Cellular orientation correlated with scaffold topography; corrosion resistance was highest with minimal graphene deposition.
Conclusions:
- The multilayer design incorporating graphene as an intermediate layer significantly improves titanium implant properties.
- This approach enhances biocompatibility, osseointegration potential, and corrosion resistance for orthopedic and tissue engineering applications.
- Optimization of graphene layer thickness is crucial for balancing properties like cell viability and corrosion resistance.
