Antibacterial Properties and Biocompatibility of Ti-5Mo-30Nb Alloy Functionalized by Micro-Arc Oxidation

• Grant number: 21/15018-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Roberto Grandini
• Grantee: Giovana Collombaro Cardoso
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys are among the most used metallic biomaterials today, as they have excellent biocompatibility, corrosion and wear resistance, and good mechanical properties. Its medical field uses needles, pins, screws, and orthopedic, dental, and cardiovascular implants. However, these materials are bioinert, can cause infections, and cannot be quickly osseointegrated, which contributed to the increase in cases of implant failures. Thus, the objective of this study is to functionalize, through the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technique, the surface of the Ti-5Mo-30Nb alloy, indicated as the best alloy in a previous study, incorporating Cu, Ag, and Zn particles, aiming to improve the properties of osseointegration, corrosion, and tribocorrosion of this biomaterial, besides providing anti bactericidal effects, without compromising its cytotoxicity. The alloy ingots will be melted into an arc-voltaic furnace in a controlled argon atmosphere. MAO will perform the surface treatment, first using two distinct electrolyte solutions and, later, added to solutions Cu and Ag and Zn nanoparticles to compare the anti bactericidal effects of each. The composition and morphology of the treated surfaces will be evaluated, corrosion and tribocorrosion tests will be performed. Tests to evaluate cytotoxicity and to observe the anti-bactericidal effects that the embedded particles bring to the alloy will be made too.