Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and its potential for improving the performance of titanium implants in biomedical applications

Xueying Wen; Yan Liu; Fangquan Xi; Xingwan Zhang; Yuanyuan Kang

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2023.1282590

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and its potential for improving the performance of titanium implants in biomedical applications

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2023 Nov 7:11:1282590. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1282590. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Xueying Wen¹, Yan Liu¹, Fangquan Xi², Xingwan Zhang², Yuanyuan Kang¹

Affiliations

¹ School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, China.
² School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China.

Abstract

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys have good biocompatibility, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, making them attractive for biomedical applications. However, their biological inertness and lack of antimicrobial properties may compromise the success of implants. In this review, the potential of micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technology to create bioactive coatings on Ti implants is discussed. The review covers the following aspects: 1) different factors, such as electrolyte, voltage and current, affect the properties of MAO coatings; 2) MAO coatings affect biocompatibility, including cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, angiogenic activity, corrosion resistance, osteogenic activity and osseointegration; 3) antibacterial properties can be achieved by adding copper (Cu), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn) and other elements to achieve antimicrobial properties; and 4) MAO can be combined with other physical and chemical techniques to enhance the performance of MAO coatings. It is concluded that MAO coatings offer new opportunities for improving the use of Ti and its alloys in biomedical applications, and some suggestions for future research are provided.

Keywords: Ti and its alloys; antibacterial properties; biological properties; coating; micro-arc oxidation.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The authors declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82002886), and the Shenyang Science and Technology Plan Project (21-173-9-40).