Development of antibacterial, ciprofloxacin-eluting biodegradable coatings on Ti6Al7Nb implants to prevent peri-implant infections

Various types of biodegradable polymers containing lactide, glycolide, caprolactone, and trimethylene carbonate units have been used to obtain ciprofloxacin (CFX)-enriched coatings developed on the Ti6Al7Nb alloy, intended for short-term therapy. In the first step, the surface of the Ti6Al7Nb alloy was modified, mostly according to sandblasting and anodic oxidation to obtain the TiO2 layer. Anodizing can be an effective method for preparing TiO2 coatings with osteoconductive properties. The polymer containing CFX molecules was deposited on the modified alloy, and Polymer + CFX/TiO 2/Ti6Al7Nb systems were developed. CFX-enriched coatings adhered well to the surface of the previously modified alloy. Polymer layers maintain the topography of the alloy due to the development of the surface during the sandblasting method. As polymers intended for the study possess degradation ability, they are capable of releasing the incorporated drug. Antibacterial activity of CFX-enriched coatings was examined to verify the functionality of designed Polymer + CFX/TiO 2/Ti6Al7Nb systems, and the bactericidal effect was confirmed for all cases. The presented study is an extension of previous, initial research and creates an overview of polyester or polyestercarbonate CFX-eluting coatings.