Influence of oxidative nanopatterning and anodization on the fatigue resistance of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V.

With an increasingly aging population, a significant challenge in implantology is the creation of biomaterials that actively promote tissue integration and offer excellent mechanical properties. Engineered surfaces with micro- and nanoscale topographies have shown great potential to control and direct biomaterial-host tissue interactions. Two simple yet efficient chemical treatments, oxidative nanopatterning and anodization, have demonstrated the ability to confer exciting new bioactive capacities to commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloy.

Nanoporous titanium surfaces for sustained elution of proteins and antibiotics.

Current medically relevant metals for prosthetic reconstructions enjoy a relatively good success rate, but their performance drops significantly in patients with compromised health status, and post-surgical infections still remain an important challenge. To address these problems, different nanotechnology-based strategies have been exploited to create implantable metals with an enhanced bioactivity and antibacterial capacities. Among these, oxidative nanopatterning has emerged as a very effective approach to engender nanoporous surfaces that stimulate and guide the activity of adhering cells.