Tuning the Corrosion Resistance, Antibacterial Activity, and Cytocompatibility by Constructing Grooves on the Surface of Ti6Al4V3Cu Alloy

doi:10.1007/s40195-023-01620-w

Abstract

Abstract:

Ti6Al4V3Cu alloy is a promising biomaterial for combating implant-related infection. However, the antibacterial property of Ti6Al4V3Cu is expected to be enhanced due to the low content of Cu element in titanium. To address this issue, the antibacterial property of Ti6Al4V3Cu was tailored by the grooves with different groove widths (30 μm, 60 μm, and 90 μm) that were constructed on the surface of the Ti6Al4V3Cu by selective laser melting. The effect of grooves on corrosion resistance, antibacterial property, and cytocompatibility was investigated. The electrochemical tests showed that the corrosion resistance decreased with increasing groove width. The antibacterial tests indicated that the groove with a width of 30 μm and 90 μm groups showed better antibacterial activity against S. aureus (> 90%) compared with the groove with a width of 60 μm. The in vitro study suggested that all samples with different grooves were found to exhibit good cytocompatibility with osteoblast cells. It is considered that creating grooves on Ti6Al4V3Cu by selective laser melting is a promising strategy to enhance the antibacterial activity without sacrificing cytocompatibility.

Key words: Ti6Al4V3Cu, Groove, Corrosion resistance, Antibacterial, Biocompatibility

Minghui Zhou, Hui Sun, Yanming Gan, Cheng Ji, Yan Chen, Yanjin Lu, Jinxin Lin, Qiang Wang. Tuning the Corrosion Resistance, Antibacterial Activity, and Cytocompatibility by Constructing Grooves on the Surface of Ti6Al4V3Cu Alloy[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2023, 36(12): 1979-1998.

Figures/Tables 17

Table 1 Chemical composition of the Ti6Al4V3Cu mixed powders

Al	V	Cu	Fe	O	C	N	H	Ti
6.314	3.786	2.902	0.149	< 0.03	< 0.01	< 0.001	< 0.001	Balance

Fig. 1 a SEM image of the Ti6Al4V3Cu powder; b particle size chart of the powder

Fig. 2 Schematic picture of 3D architecture models: a TCu-30, b TCu-60, c TCu-90

Fig. 3 a XRD patterns of the Ti6Al4V3Cu powder, TCu, TCu-30, TCu-60, and TCu-90; b percentage of the Ti2Cu phase of different samples; c, d TEM and SAED patterns of the Ti6Al4V3Cu alloy; e Cu content of the Ti6Al4V3Cu alloy by SLM-fabricated

Fig. 4 Scanning electronic microscope micro-architecture and mapping of alloys: TCu a, TCu-30 b, TCu-60 c; TCu-90 d; Ti, Al, V, and Cu element mapping on a TCu e, TCu-30 f, TCu-60 g, and TCu-90 h; and the cross-sectional morphologies of the grooves: TCu-30 i, TCu-60 j, TCu-90 k

Fig. 5 Comparison of original model and sample 3D scan model illustration: a TCu-30, b TCu-60, and c TCu-90; d actual groove depth of each sample; e surface roughness of each sample; f water contact angle of the sample surface

Fig. 6 a Plots of the electrochemical open circuit potentials exhibited by the samples, b potentiodynamic polarization curve of the samples in normal saline, c Nyquist diagrams; d Bode plots in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution

Table 2 Values for electrochemistry derived from polarization curves

Samples	I_corr (μA)	E_corr (mV)	Corrosion rate(μg·cm⁻²·y⁻¹)
TCu	20.10 ± 9.00	−43.97 ± 15.43	16.29 ± 7.25
TCu-30	70.09 ± 19.82	−69.90 ± 30.60	56.78 ± 16.03
TCu-60	103.77 ± 11.02	−83.9 ± 19.70	84.06 ± 9.13
TCu-90	141.60 ± 13.29	−119.50 ± 48.50	114.68 ± 10.73

Table 3 Data analysis for equivalent circuit parameters from fitting EIS

Samples	R_p (KΩ·cm²)	R_s (Ω·cm²)	Y₀ (μΩ·sⁿ·cm⁻²)	n
TCu	530.67 ± 67.57	25.95 ± 14.15	30.31 ± 0.16	0.86 ± 0.03
TCu-30	442.42 ± 104.94	21.88 ± 2.06	31.88 ± 6.07	0.84 ± 0.03
TCu-60	271.31 ± 112.96	23.44 ± 0.64	36.03 ± 10.08	0.84 ± 0.05
TCu-90	151.24 ± 21.61	24.65 ± 0.20	43.66 ± 13.94	0.85 ± 0.02

Fig. 7 Total metal a, Al b, V c, Cu d, were tested for ion release over 1, 4, and 7-day periods, respectively

Fig. 8 High-resolution Ti2p spectra that both before and after immersion for Ti6Al4V3Cu alloys with different groove widths in normal saline at 37 °C

Fig. 9 High-resolution Cu2p spectra that both before and after immersion for Ti6Al4V3Cu alloys with different groove widths in normal saline at 37 °C

Fig. 10 High-resolution CuLMM spectra that both before and after immersion for Ti6Al4V3Cu alloys with different groove widths in normal saline at 37 °C

Fig. 11 Contents of metal species relative to the oxides on the surfaces of Ti6Al4V3Cu alloys with different groove widths prior to and following exposure to normal saline at 37 °C

Fig. 12 Staphylococcus aureus bacterial colonies a and antibacterial rates b after incubation on different groove width samples and the bacteria morphological changes of c TCu, d TCu-30, e TCu-60, f TCu-90

Fig. 13 Cell apoptosis of MC3T3-E1 cells after 3 days of co-culture with samples of different groove widths: a control, b TCu, c TCu-30, d TCu-60, e TCu-90 and fluorescence staining f-j; OD value k and RGR l by CCK8 method; cell-related factors analysis: m ALP, n COL-1, o RUNX-2

Fig. 14 The "race for the surface" of Ti6Al4V3Cu alloy with micro-grooves on the surface

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