Gamma-ray irradiation enhances antibacterial and osteogenic properties of magnesium oxide coatings prepared by electrochemical deposition on titanium surface

• Novel dual-functional enhancement via gamma-ray irradiation. • Significantly boosted antibacterial and anti-biofilm efficacy. • Underlying mechanism linked to oxygen vacancies and Mg 2+ release. • Promoted osteogenic activity in vitro. • Effective infection control and bone regeneration confirmed in vivo. Postoperative infections associated with orthopedic implants represent severe clinical complications. Traditional antibiotic or antimicrobial metal ion coatings face concerns such as induction of resistance and biocompatibility. Magnesium oxide (MgO) offers both biocompatibility and antibacterial potentials, but balancing its cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity remains challenging. This study prepared MgO coatings on titanium (Ti) via electrochemical deposition, and investigated the effects of γ-ray irradiation (12.5–50 kGy) on their properties. Results showed that, the irradiation dose-dependently enhanced the antibacterial rates (up to 55% for E. coli and 49.4% for S. aureus ), increased oxygen vacancy concentration, and promoted Mg 2+ release. In vitro experiments demonstrated that irradiated coatings significantly promoted BMSCs proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation ( e.g. , increased alkaline phosphatease activity, induced mineral nodule formation). In vivo rat models confirmed that irradiated coatings reduced infection, promoted bone regeneration, and showed no tissue toxicity. These show that, γ-ray irradiation, a standard sterilization method, simultaneously optimized the antibacterial and osteogenic properties of the MgO coatings. More generally, γ-ray irradiation might offer a new strategy of manipulating clinical properties a range of inorganic coatings for orthopaedic implants.