Effect of High-Energy Excimer Treatment of Ti-Based Alloys on Cytocompatibility and Antibacterial Properties

Abstract

The study investigates the effects of high-energy laser treatment on titanium-based alloys, TiAlV, TiNbZr, and TiNbSnTa, materials of high interest for medical applications such as implants and dental devices due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. In this research, a unique high-energy laser was used for Ti-based surface activation. The laser exposure induced significant changes in both surface morphology and chemistry while preserving the bulk properties of the substrate. The modified surfaces were evaluated for their impact on cyto-compatibility and antibacterial activity. It was found that viability of U-2 OS cells incubated with laser-treated Ti-based substrates was not negatively affected and was comparable or slightly enhanced than that of control samples, indicating very good cytocompatibility of the prepared materials. Further, antibacterial evaluation against E. coli and S. epidermidis demonstrated that laser-treated samples had improved activity, especially against S. epidermidis, relative to untreated controls. Thus, these results demonstrate that high-energy laser treatment can simultaneously enhance biocompatibility and antibacterial properties of titanium alloys, highlighting its potential as a versatile surface modification strategy for advanced biomedical devices.