(256aa) Anodized TiO2 Nanotube Film for Controllable Drug Delivery in the Implant

TiO₂ nanotubes have great potential to improve the performance of Ti implants as a surface coating due to its high surface area, ability to promote bone growth and biocompatibility. However, there are two issues needed to be solved before further advancing TiO₂ nanotubes technology as drug carrier: uncontrolled drug release and poor mechanical properties. In this study, a drug carrier using composite of biodegradable polymer/TiO₂ nanotubes is engineered. The synthesized drug carrier demonstrated much better sustained drug release profile, greatly improved mechanical strength and flexibility compared to pure TiO₂ nanotubes coating. It has also been found that the drug release kinetics using the synthesized drug carrier is controlled mainly by the drug solubility, polymer degradation and electrostatic force between drug and polymer which are pH dependent.