Surface characteristics and biological evaluation of TiO2 nanotubes fabricated on Ti6Al4V implant surface

The significant focus of this research was to create the TiO₂ (Titanium dioxide) highly ordered nanotube arrays on a Ti6Al4V surface to improve surface roughness, antibacterial activity and biocompatibility for its use in biomedical applications. In this approach, the anodic oxidation process was carried out in the organic bath solution, which is composed of ethylene glycol, NH₄F, and ultrapure water. The process was carried out at a constant voltage of 30 V under different anodic oxidation time durations of 3 h, 4 h, and 5 h. The surface roughness of the polished Ti6Al4V, TiO₂ 30 V 3 h, TiO₂ 30 V 4 h, and TiO₂ 30 V 5 h are 2.77 nm, 16.92 nm, 19.75 nm, and 22.01 nm respectively. The early-stage assessment of the antimicrobial efficacy of oxidized specimens was conducted quantitatively against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli after a 24 h period of growth. The cell viability on different surfaces was investigated by MTT and adhesion assays, which revealed improved in vitro response to the crystalline nanotubes. Overall, this work demonstrates the importance of using multifunctional TiO₂ nanotubes to provide a synergistic impact on antibiofilm, antibacterial, and enhanced osseointegration.