Graphene/hydroxyapatite coating deposit on titanium alloys for implant application

Titanium (Ti) implants are widely used in medicine. Meanwhile, surface modification of Ti can strengthen the osseointegration of implants. In this study, we modified Ti implant surfaces, which was coated with GO, HA, HA-2wt%GO and HA-5wt%GO via electrophoresis deposition, to investigate their mechanisms and biological activity. Uncoated Ti was used as the control. Further, we examined the biological behavior and osteogenic performance of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) cultured on coatings in vitro. We found that the HA-GO nanocomposite coating improved the roughness and hydrophilicity of the Ti surface. Compared with the uncoated Ti or Ti modified by HA or GO alone, cell adhesion and diffusion were enhanced on HA-GO-modified Ti surfaces. In addition, the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro were significantly improved on HA-GO-modified surfaces, whereas osteogenesis-related gene expression and alkaline phosphatase activity were slightly enhanced. Furthermore, we noted that bone regeneration was improved in the HA-2wt%GO group in vivo. Thus, the HA-2wt%GO nanocomposite coating might have potential applications in the field of dental implants.