Antibacterial activity and osseointegration of silver-coated poly(ether ether ketone) prepared using the polydopamine-assisted deposition technique

Abstract

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) is a popular orthopaedic implant material due to the outstanding biocompatibility and mechanical properties. However, bacterial infections and aseptic loosening during implantation can cause many clinical problems that may eventually lead to implant failure. Therefore, endowing implants with antibacterial functions plays an important role in promoting integration between implants and bone tissue and ultimately, in successful implantation. This study aimed to develop a biocompatible and antibacterial coating for PEEK implants using polydopamine (PDA)-based surface modification technology and subsequent deposition of silver (Ag) nanoparticles (PEEK-PDA-Ag). Formation of Ag nanoparticles was clearly observed on the surface of PEEK-PDA-Ag using scanning electron microscopy. PEEK-PDA-Ag showed low toxicity to MC3T3-E1 cells. It exhibited outstanding antibacterial properties against both S. aureus and E. coli in vitro as well as decent antibacterial performance in vivo. In addition, in vivo studies demonstrated good osseointegration of PEEK-PDA-Ag implants, as shown by micro-CT evaluation and push-out tests. Together, the findings from this study indicate that the facilely prepared PEEK-PDA-Ag substrates possess considerable biocompatibility and antibacterial properties, permitting their potential use as a promising orthopaedic implant material.