CoBONETi

About the project

Titanium and its alloys are the most commonly used materials for bone implantology due to their intrinsic physico-chemical and biological properties. However, these materials are covered in time by the body with fibrous tissues which get physically attached on irregular surfaces. In order to overcome this limitation, novel coatings with improved composition and structure are required in order to enhance the curative properties of the metallic implants.
Due to their bioactivity and bone-like compositional features, the calcium phosphates (CaPs) are good candidates for implants fabrication. It was proved that the Sr addition within the composition of various materials diminishes the osseous resorption and stimulates the osteogenesis, owing to the stimulation of osteoblasts proliferation and inhibition of osteoclasts activity. Moreover, the addition of Se within bone-related materials induces antimicrobial and antitumoral effects.
The goal of this project is to functionalize the surface of metallic implantable devices with composite thin films of hydroxyapatite/beta-tricalcium phosphate doped with Se/Sr (HA/β-TCP:Se/Sr) designed for bone tissue therapy.