Russia develops new technology to enhance antibacterial effect of titanium alloy
November 24, 2021
Russia's National Research University of Technology and other Russian researchers have developed a new technique to make titanium alloy, one of the key materials for advanced surgery, act as an antibacterial agent, sci-Tech Daily reported. Implants engineered according to the new method will significantly speed up and facilitate recovery from trauma, the researchers said. The findings are in the journal Colloids and Surfaces B: Biological Interfaces.
The mechanical properties and resilience of bone damage decrease significantly with age, and such damage requires long-term treatment. The use of implants made of unmodified metals and alloys can lead to complications and may later require a second surgical procedure. Materials that inhibit bacterial activity help implant surgery to be safer and more reliable. Therefore, Russian researchers have developed a method of spraying antibacterial coating for ti-Zr-Nb titanium alloy.
Experiments showed that the growth of EScherichia coli on the implant surface could be completely inhibited by the new treatment method. At low doses of silver (about 0.037 mg/l), it is completely safe for the body and has achieved significant antibacterial effect. The researchers say the "hit" on the bacteria is carried out by silver ions. The nanoparticles that release them were chemically synthesized in a complex alcohol solution, which makes them only about 10 nanometers in size. Thanks to this, silver is deposited in the pores of the material to a depth of up to 60 nanometers, greatly improving the durability and antibacterial effect of the coating.
