Silicon and Silver Low-Energy Ion Implantation into Titanium Plates for Improved Biocompatibility

Surface modification of implant materials continues to address the issue of osseointegration. Moreover, combining osseointegration with bactericidal or antifouling properties in implants remains an open question for debate. Over the years, silver has been widely used as an agent for killing and preventing bacterial proliferation. Silicon, on the other hand, has been linked to improved osteogenic activity. In this work, titanium plates were incorporated with both Ag and Si ions through low-energy ion implantation, and surface characterization was carried out to validate the process. Ti plates containing 43 μg cm^-2 Ag were further enriched with small amounts of Si, as verified by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). This added step increased surface roughness by approximately 11% and led to a statistically significant difference in wettability, rendering hydrophilic features (from angles around 90° to below 70° for the Ag + Si condition)both of which influence biocompatibility. Electrochemical tests showed a more reactive surface for implanted samples but nonetheless demonstrated stability over 28 days. Further research should focus on increasing the Si doping in Ti and evaluating subsequent in vitro conditions.