Laser-assisted biomimetic process for surface functionalization of titanium metal

Biomimetic calcium phosphate (CaP) precipitation processes using supersaturated CaP solutions are useful in surface functionalization of biomedical materials. We applied our laser-assisted biomimetic (LAB) process to successfully achieve rapid single-step CaP precipitation on the surface of titanium metal, which is an important metallic biomaterial, by applying pulsed laser irradiation to the titanium substrate immersed in a supersaturated CaP solution. Precipitation occurred via the combined effect of laser surface modification and ambient heating. Moreover, we demonstrated immobilization of various contents of osteogenic substances (zinc and fibronectin components) on the titanium surface together with CaP by supplementing the CaP solution with these substances. The LAB process is expected to be a facile and effective surface functionalization technique for titanium-based biomaterials to provide them with osteoconductivity because of CaP and stimulatory effects on bone formation due to osteogenic substances.