Preparation of Zirconium Hydrogen Phosphate Coatings on Sandblasted/Acid-Etched Titanium for Enhancing Its Osteoinductivity and Friction/Corrosion Resistance

Background: Sandblasted/acid-etched titanium (SLA-Ti) implants are widely used for dental implant restoration in edentulous patients. However, the poor osteoinductivity and the large amount of Ti particles/ions released due to friction or corrosion will affect its longterm success rate. Purpose: Various zirconium hydrogen phosphate (ZrP) coatings were prepared on SLA-Ti surface to enhance its friction/corrosion resistance and osteoinduction. Methods: The mixture of ZrCl4 and H3PO4 was first coated on SLA-Ti and then calcined at 450 degrees C for 5 min to form ZrP coatings. In addition to a series of physiochemical characterization such as morphology, roughness, wettability, and chemical composition, their capability of antifriction and anti-corrosion were further evaluated by friction-wear test and by potential scanning. The viability and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells on different substrates were investigated via MTT, mineralization and PCR assays. Results: The characterization results showed that there were no significant changes in the morphology, roughness and wettability of ZrP-modified samples (SLA-ZrP0.5 and SLAZrP0.7) compared with SLA group. The results of electrochemical corrosion displayed that both SLA-ZrP0.5 and SLA-ZrP0.7 (especially the latter) had better corrosion resistance than SLA in normal saline and serum-containing medium. SLA-ZrP0.7 also exhibited the best friction resistance and great potential to enhance the spreading, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Conclusion: We determined that SLA-ZrP0.7 had excellent comprehensive properties including anti-corrosion, anti-friction and osteoinduction, which made it have a promising clinical application in dental implant restoration.