Russian scientists have developed a biodegradable polymer coating for titanium implants, which increases the mechanical strength of these structures, protects them from corrosion and releases various drugs in a controlled manner. The results of the study, supported by a grant from the Presidential Program of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), were published in the journal Polymers.

“In addition to the fact that the proposed polymer will allow various drugs to be coated on bone implants, it will also improve the mechanical strength of the implants and prevent corrosion. All these properties will help improve existing medical products for bone restoration and extend their service life,” said Ekaterina Komarova, a researcher at the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of the SB RAS.

The coating developed by scientists is a layer of calcium phosphate, which is covered with a thin film of polymer containing molecules of lactic and glycolic acids. Inside this coating there is a large number of pores that can be filled with molecules of various drugs that stimulate the growth of bone tissue and protect it from the development of inflammation and infections.

Russian scientists have selected a variation of a biodegradable polymer based on lactic and glycolic acids and a technique for applying it to the coating surface, which allows for a controlled release of drug molecules from the pores over a very long time. In addition to this, this coating increases the mechanical strength of the implants and makes them more resistant to corrosion.

Experiments conducted by scientists showed that the material they developed with a high content of the polymer component (about 8-10%) had a complex layered structure, the formation of which increased the wear resistance of the implant by about three times, and its resistance to corrosion by about two orders of magnitude. Moreover, even coatings with a small proportion of polymer released their contents very evenly, which is very important when carrying out treatment.

The researchers hope that these positive qualities of the coating they created will make orthopedic implants and other metal structures introduced into the human body more durable and safer for patients. This will significantly improve their quality of life and reduce healthcare costs, the scientists concluded.

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