Ti Nano-nodular Structuring for Bone Integration and Regeneration

Abstract

Nanostructuring technology has been proven to create unique biological properties in various biomaterials. Here we present a discovered phenomenon of titanium nano-nodular self-assembly that occurs during physical vapor depositions of titanium (Ti) onto specifically conditioned micro-textured titanium surfaces, and test a hypothesis that the Ti nanostructure has the potential to enhance bone-titanium integration. The nanostructure creation effectively provided geometrical undercut and increased the surface area by up to 40% compared with the acid-etched surface with microtopography. Depending on the size control, the nano-nodules can be added without smearing the existing micro-texture, creating a nano-micro-hybrid architecture. Titanium implants with 560-nm nano-nodules produced 3.1 times greater strength of osseointegration than those with an acid-etched surface in a rat femur model. The discovered titanium nano-nodular self-structuring has been proven feasible on biocompatible materials other than titanium, offering new avenues for the development of implant surfaces and other implantable materials for better bone-generative and -regenerative potential.

Nanostructured model implants for in vivo studies: influence of well-defined nanotopography on de novo bone formation on titanium implants

“…9 A titanium nanonodular structure can be produced by physical vapor depositions of titanium onto microtextured titanium surfaces. 10 Other techniques, including the plasma-spraying, sol-gel and hydrothermal treatments, are available for titanium nanostructuring. 11 Although it has been demonstrated by the listed studies that nanostructures at the titanium implant surface induce a favorable bone response, 12 there is still a lack of reliable data on the specific effects of nanotopography on bone response, because many other variables (chemistry, porosity, crystallinity) simultaneously influence biomolecular and cellular interactions with these surfaces and it is therefore difficult to distinguish the surface feature that is responsible for the particular biological effect.…”

TiO2 micro-nano-hybrid surface to alleviate biological aging of UV-photofunctionalized titanium

“…We employed the previously established method of controllable nanonodule self-assembly to create TiO 2 nanonodular structures within the micropits (micro-nano-hybrid surface). 8,9 The technical strategy is schematically described in Figure 1A. TiO 2 was depositioned onto the acid-etched surface using a sputter deposition system (Denton Discovery 550, Moorestown, NJ) with a deposition rate of 18.5 Å/minute.…”

“…8,9 Nanonodules can self-assemble onto specifically conditioned microstructured titanium surfaces during the chemical deposition of TiO 2 . When nanonodular structuring is applied to acid-etch-created microroughened titanium surfaces, a unique micro-nano-hybrid structure is created by the formation of TiO 2 nanonodules within microscale compartments.…”

Novel Promises of Nanotechnology for Tissue Regeneration

“…Controllable self-assembly of nanonodules has been demonstrated to occur during chemical depositioning of materials on specifically conditioned microtopographical surfaces (Ogawa et al, 2008). The substrate could be a nonmetalic material such a as biodegradable polymer.…”