Antibacterial properties and biological activity of 3D-printed titanium alloy implants with a near-infrared photoresponsive surface.

Purpose: SLM 3D printing technology is one of the most widely used implant-making technologies. However, the surfaces of the implants are relatively rough, and bacteria can easily adhere to them; increasing the risk of postoperative infection. Therefore, we prepared a near-infrared photoresponsive nano-TiO coating on the surface of an SLM 3D-printed titanium alloy sheet (Ti6Al4V) via a hydrothermal method to evaluate its antibacterial properties and biocompatibility.