Evaluation of the osteogenesis and osseointegration of titanium alloys coated with graphene: an in vivo study

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 1843 - 10
• Main Authors: Li, Kewen, Wang, Chunhui, Yan, Jinhong, Zhang, Qi, Dang, Baoping, Wang, Zhuo, Yao, Yun, Lin, Kaifeng, Guo, Zhongshang, Bi, Long, Han, Yisheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 30-01-2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 13/107; 14/105; 631/1647; 631/1647/767/1424; Alloys; Alloys - chemistry; Alloys - pharmacology; Animals; Apposition; Biological activity; Bone growth; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - chemistry; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - pharmacology; Computed tomography; Femur; Graphite - chemistry; Graphite - pharmacology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Male; Materials Testing - methods; multidisciplinary; Osseointegration; Osseointegration - drug effects; Osteogenesis; Osteogenesis - drug effects; Prostheses and Implants; Rabbits; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Surface Properties - drug effects; Titanium; Titanium - chemistry; Titanium - pharmacology; Titanium alloys; X-Ray Microtomography - methods
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19742-y

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a surface coating with graphene could enhance the surface bioactivation of titanium alloys (Ti
6
Al
4
V) to further accelerate
in vivo
osteogenesis and osseointegration at the implant surface. In this study, a New Zealand white rabbit femoral condyle defect model was established. After 4, 12 and 24 weeks, biomechanical testing, micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) analyses and histological observations were performed. At the highest push-out forces during the test, microstructure parameters, such as the bone volume/total volume fraction (BV/TV) and mineral apposition rate (MAR), of the new bone were significantly higher in the graphene-coated Ti
6
Al
4
V group (G-Ti
6
Al
4
V) than in the Ti
6
Al
4
V group (
P
 < 0.05). Van Gieson (VG) staining showed that the G-Ti
6
Al
4
V group had more new bone formation than the Ti
6
Al
4
V group, and the G-Ti
6
Al
4
V group showed a closer fit between the bone and implant. In conclusion, graphene might be a novel type of nano-coating material for enhancing the surface biological activity of Ti-based alloy materials and may further promote
in vivo
osteogenesis and osseointegration.