Bioactivity and antibacterial behavior of Peek-Glass-TiO2 composite coatings obtained by electrophoretic deposition

S. CLAVIJO; V. MOURIÑO; A. R. BOCCACCINI; M.J. SANTILLAN

Conferencia; CONFERENCE ON ELECTROPHORETIC DEPOSITION; 2017

The use of biomaterials, particularly in bone implants and prostheses, involves the selection of devices whose surfaces are bioactive and selective, in order to simultaneously stimulate osseointegration and minimize the risk of bacterial infections. There are several strategies to complement the suitable mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel and the bioactivity of Bioglass® (BG). Pure BG coatings achieve surface bioactivity but often a good interaction between the bioactive glass and the metal substrate is not attained, which can lead to implant failure.In this study, composite PEEK-Bioglass®-TiO2 coatings were grown on stainless steel substrates using the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique, in order to obtain materials with optimized mechanical and biological properties. The PEEK-Bioglass®-TiO2 suspension employed for EPD was prepared using isopropanol-ethanol as co-solvent. A close dependence between the voltage applied and the performance of the EPD process was observed. The best coatings were obtained at 25 V, which exhibited compact and homogeneous structure, with surface roughness of 0.44 ± 0.05 μm. The sintering of the PEEK matrix was performed at 343 ° C ± 35 ° C during 30 minutes.The in vitro bioactivity of the composite coatings was studied by immersion in simulated body fluid solution (SBF) for 14 days, according to Kokubo´s procedure. Hydroxyapatite formation was confirmed on the surface of EPD coatings by SEM and EDS techniques. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of the coatings was evaluated showing positive results for Staphylococcus Aureus.