Mechanical, bactericidal and osteogenic behaviours of hydrothermally synthesised TiO2 nanowire arrays

Alka Jaggessar; Asha Mathew; Hongxia Wang; Tuquabo Tesfamichael; Cheng Yan; Prasad Kdv Yarlagadda

doi:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2018.02.011

Mechanical, bactericidal and osteogenic behaviours of hydrothermally synthesised TiO₂ nanowire arrays

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2018 Apr:80:311-319. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2018.02.011. Epub 2018 Feb 12.

Authors

Alka Jaggessar¹, Asha Mathew², Hongxia Wang³, Tuquabo Tesfamichael⁴, Cheng Yan⁵, Prasad Kdv Yarlagadda⁶

Affiliations

¹ Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia. Electronic address: a.jaggessar@hdr.qut.edu.au.
² Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059, Australia. Electronic address: asha.mathew@qut.edu.au.
³ Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia. Electronic address: hx.wang@qut.edu.au.
⁴ Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia. Electronic address: t.tesfamichael@qut.edu.au.
⁵ Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia. Electronic address: c2.yan@qut.edu.au.
⁶ Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia. Electronic address: y.prasad@qut.edu.au.

PMID: 29459290
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2018.02.011

Abstract

The application of orthopaedic implants is associated with risks of bacterial infection and long-term antibiotic therapy. This problem has led to the study of implants with nano-textured surfaces as a method of inhibiting bacterial adhesion and reducing implant failure due to infection. In this research, various nano-textured surfaces of TiO₂ were synthesised using hydrothermal synthesis, by varying NaOH concentration, reaction time and reaction temperature. Their correlations to mechanical, morphological, bactericidal and osteogenic properties of the surfaces were investigated. It was found that high alkaline concentrations produced large nanowire mesh arrays, while short reaction time and low temperature produced comparatively smaller arrays. The highly dense morphology formed at higher NaOH concentrations has resulted in high elastic modulus and hardness values, compared to surfaces produced at lower NaOH concentrations. Viability tests of the TiO₂ nanowire array against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus cells showed a bactericidal efficiency of 54% and 33% after 3 and 18 h, respectively. This nano-textured surface produces an osteoblast cellular metabolic activity of 71% after 24 h, compared to 67% when exposed to a flat Ti control surface. This preliminary work demonstrates an excellent outcome in producing bactericidal surfaces that promoted metabolic activity of human osteoblast cells for potential use in orthopaedic implants.

Keywords: Bacterial adhesion; Biomaterials; Hydrothermal synthesis; Mechanical properties; Nano-textured surfaces; Orthopaedic implants.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
Bacterial Adhesion / drug effects*
Humans
Materials Testing
Nanowires*
Osteogenesis / drug effects*
Prostheses and Implants
Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
Titanium / pharmacology*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
titanium dioxide
Titanium