Covalently modified titanium surface trough a combined click chemistry and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization strategy

Titanium and its alloys have been extensively used in biomedical devices and components because of their high strength, low density and good inertness to biological tissues, making them very suitable and biocompatible materials. In the continuous search for improving biological and biomedical performance of materials, surface modification - able to enhance interaction of the metal implant surfaces with surrounding tissue while retaining the desirable bulk properties of the materials - is a very attractive tool [1]. In this framework, covalent binding of welldefined polymer allows for precise control over interfacial properties such as wettability, corrosion resistance and adhesion while ensuring long term stability. Herein the antibacterial and antifouling Poly[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl Methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) [2] was used to prepare titanium functionalized surfaces. Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) synthesis of PDMAEMA following a previously optimized protocol [3] led to very low polydisperse polymer with “active” chain ends without the need of protection/deprotection procedures. Various characterization techniques, including contact angle measurements and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy were used to ascertain the successful grafting. Polymer thickness and changes in surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, as well as corrosion resistance in physiological conditions as a result of surface graft polymerization were also characterized.