Antibacterial and bioactive nanostructured titanium surfaces for bone integration

An effective and physiological bone integration and absence of bacterial infection are essential for a successful orthopaedic or dental implant. A titanium surface able to actively promote bone bonding and avoid microbial colonization represents an extremely interesting challenge for these purposes. An innovative and patented surface treatment focused on these issues is described in the present paper. It is based on acid etching and subsequent controlled oxidation in hydrogen peroxide, enriched with silver ions. It has been applied to commercially pure titanium (Ti-cp) and alloy Ti6Al4V. The chemistry and morphology of the surfaces are modified by the treatment on a nanoscale: they show a thin oxide layer with porosity on the nanoscale and silver particles (few nanometers in diameter), embedded in it. These features are effective in order to obtain antibacterial and bioactive titanium surfaces.