Nanostructured Ag-Bioglass Implant Coatings with Antibacterial and Osteogenic Activity

Bone implant failure due to aseptic loosening and biofilm infections is an increasing healthcare problem. Implants may be coated with nanoparticles to avoid bacterial colonization and promote osseointegration. However, these nanocoatings often require long, expensive, and complex manufacturing routes with limited clinical translation potential. Here, a multifunctional nanoparticle coating consisting of silver (Ag) and bioglass (BG) is investigated to overcome current limitations by providing synchronously antibacterial and osteogenic effect. Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) is exploited as a scalable and reproducible process to synthesize large quantities of nanoparticles and deposit them on titanium (Ti) substrates. The deposited nanocoatings show a homogeneous morphology and biomineralize after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF), while their adhesion on Ti substrates is promoted by in situ flame annealing. The Ag+ ion release from Ag containing BG samples inhibits Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation up to 3 log units, while the osteogenic responses of pre-osteoblastic cells directly grown on AgBG samples show similar levels of alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium and collagen production when compared to pure Ti. The inexpensively synthesized multifunctional AgBG nanostructured implant coatings exert a high bioactivity and antibacterial response while maintaining high biocompatibility. The insights of this study can direct the development of multifunctional implant coatings.