Double Substituted with Manganese and Strontium Tricalcium Phosphate Coatings on Zinc-Lithium Biodegradable Alloys for Biomedical Implant Applications

To address the clinical needs for biodegradable implant materials, in this work, zinc-lithium (Zn-Li) biodegradable alloy was coated with double-doped manganese and strontium resorbable tricalcium phosphate (Mn,Sr-TCP). The Pulsed Laser Deposition method was applied for coating preparation. For coating characterization, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were used. The microbiology experiments were performed, testing the inhibition of growth of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative (Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli) bacteria strains and Candida albicans fungus. The obtained results evidenced about 10% of inhibition of all four bacteria strains by the Mn,Sr-TCP-coated Zn-Li samples, exerting the most pronounced effect on C. albicans fungus (about 50% of inhibition of growth). The prepared coatings can be useful for improving the degradation behavior and biological characteristics of Zn-Li alloys.

Automated summary

In this study, a biodegradable alloy of zinc-lithium (Zn-Li) was coated with a resorbable tricalcium phosphate (Mn,Sr-TCP) doped with manganese and strontium using the Pulsed Laser Deposition method. The coating was characterized using various techniques, and microbiology experiments were performed to test the growth inhibition of bacteria strains and fungus. The results showed that the Mn,Sr-TCP-coated Zn-Li samples exhibited about 10% inhibition on the growth of all four bacteria strains and had the most pronounced effect on Candida albicans fungus (about 50% inhibition of growth). The prepared coatings have the potential to improve the degradation behavior and biological characteristics of Zn-Li alloys.