Spontaneous adsorption of silver nanoparticles on Ti/TiO₂ surfaces

Abstract

Titanium is a corrosion-resistant and biocompatible material widely used in medical and dental implants. Titanium surfaces, however, are prone to bacterial colonization that could lead to infection, inflammation, and finally to implant failure. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have demonstrated an excellent performance as biocides, and thus their integration to titanium surfaces is an attractive strategy to decrease the risk of implant failure. In this work a simple and efficient method is described to modify Ti/TiO₂ surfaces with citrate-capped AgNPs. These nanoparticles spontaneously adsorb on Ti/TiO₂, forming nanometer-sized aggregates consisting of individual AgNPs that homogeneously cover the surface. The modified AgNP– Ti/TiO₂ surface exhibits a good resistance to colonization by "Pseudomonas aeruginosa", a model system for biofilm formation.