Comparative Study on 3D Printed Ti6Al4V Scaffolds with Surface Modifications Using Hydrothermal Treatment and Microarc Oxidation to Enhance Osteogenic Activity

Abstract

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys have been widely used in clinics as preferred materials for bone tissue repair and replacement. However, the lack of biological activity of Ti limits its clinical applications. Surface modification of Ti with bioactive elements has always been a research hotspot. In this study, to promote the osseointegration of Ti6Al4V (Ti64) implants, calcium (Ca), oxygen (O), and phosphorus (P) codoped multifunctional micro-nanohybrid coatings were prepared on a three-dimensional (3D) printed porous Ti64 surface by microarc oxidation (MAO) and a hydrothermal method (HT). The surface morphologies, chemical compositions, and surface/cell interactions of the obtained coatings were studied. <i>In vitro</i> experiments indicated that all hybrid coating-modified Ti64 implants could enhance protein adsorption and MC3T3 osteoblasts' activity, adhesion, and differentiation ability. <i>In vivo</i> experiments showed that the hybrid coating promoted early osseointegration. By comparison, microarc oxidation-treated Ti64 (M-Ti) has the best biological activity and the strongest ability of osseointegration. It provides important theoretical significance and potential application prospects for improving the biological activity of Ti implants.