Solid-State Dewetting of Thin Au Films for Surface Functionalization of Biomedical Implants

• Published in: Materials 2023-12, Vol.16 (24), p.7524
• Main Authors: Sharipova, Aliya, Zlotver, Ivan, Sosnik, Alejandro, Rabkin, Eugen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloys; Annealing; Antibiotics; Biomedical materials; Conjugation; Drying; Gold; High resolution; Interfacial bonding; Ion beams; Microscopy; Nanoparticles; Orthopaedic implants; Orthopedics; Photoelectrons; Polyethylene glycol; Reagents; Reproducibility; Scanning electron microscopy; Scanning transmission electron microscopy; Solid state; Spectrum analysis; Substrates; Surgical implants; Temperature; Thin films; Titanium base alloys; Transplants & implants; Vancomycin; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma16247524

Biomaterial-centered infections of orthopedic implants remain a significant burden in the healthcare system due to sedentary lifestyles and an aging population. One approach to combat infections and improve implant osteointegration is functionalizing the implant surface with anti-infective and osteoinductive agents. In this framework, Au nanoparticles are produced on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V medical alloy by solid-state dewetting of 5 nm Au film and used as the substrate for the conjugation of a model antibiotic vancomycin via a mono-thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) linker. Produced Au nanoparticles on Ti-6Al-4V surface are equiaxed with a mean diameter 19.8 ± 7.2 nm, which is shown by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The conjugation of the antibiotic vancomycin, 18.8 ± 1.3 nm-thick film, is confirmed by high resolution-scanning transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Overall, showing a link between the solid-state dewetting process and surface functionalization, we demonstrate a novel, simple, and versatile method for functionalization of implant surfaces.