Synergistic Effects of N/Cu Dual Ions Implantation on Stimulating Antibacterial Ability and Angiogenic Activity of Titanium

Titanium and its alloys have been commonly used as implant materials. However, the inherent bioinert nature hinders its good osseointegration which limits its permanent clinical applications. In this work, nitrogen (N) and copper (Cu) dual ions were implanted into titanium by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII&D) technology. The corrosion resistance, mechanical property, antibacterial ability, and angiogenic activity of the modified titanium surfaces were investigated. Experimental results show that titanium nitride (TiN) film embedded with Cu nanoparticles (Cu NPs) forms on the surface of the N/Cu dual ions implanted titanium. The N/Cu dual ions implanted titanium exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical property. The galvanic corrosion of Cu/TiN can effectively control copper ion release to enhance the antibacterial and angiogenic performances of the Ti surface.