Photothermal effect and antibacterial properties of Zn2+, Cu2+and Ag+ doped hydroxyapatite @ polydopamine on porous tantalum surface

Porous tantalum finds valuable application in biomedical materials owing to its exceptional elastic modulus and biological activity. Hydroxyapatite nanopowder shares a chemical and crystal structure akin to natural bone apatite, making it a prevalent choice for bone tissue implants. However, addressing concerns like bacterial infections has led to a pressing need for functional modifications. Employing bactericidal ions like Zn/Cu/Ag, through HA doping, holds potential for spectral sterilization. Building upon this premise, a coating involving PDA enveloping ZnHA/CuHA/AgHA can be skillfully applied onto the surface of porous tantalum. This innovation effectively enhances the photothermal properties, culminating in a synergistic antibacterial outcome. The findings reveal that CuHA@PDA boasts the highest photothermal conversion efficiency at an impressive 66.83%. Meanwhile, ZnHA@PDA and AgHA@PDA samples exhibit commendable photothermal performance, further corroborated by bactericidal efficacy demonstrated in both bacterial and in vitro immersion experiments. These results underscore the wide-ranging prospective applications in the realm of HA functionalization and light-mediated sterilization.