Innovative Anodic Treatment to Obtain Stable Metallic Silver Micropatches on TiO Nanotubes: Structural, Electrochemical, and Photochemical Properties.

Electrochemical modification of the Ti surface to obtain TiO nanotubes (NT-Ti) has been proposed to enhance osseointegration in medical applications. However, susceptibility to microbial adhesion, linked to biomaterial-associated infections, and the high TiO band gap energy, which allows light absorption almost exclusively in the ultraviolet (UV) region, limit its applications. Modifying the TiO semiconductor with metals such as Ag has been suggested both for antimicrobial purposes and for absorbing light in the visible region.