DEMO DAY innowacji 4.0

The aim of the ongoing research work is to develop innovative antimicrobial composite layers designed to protect implant materials made of titanium alloys. Titanium implants are a widely used material to support bone fusion in humans and animals. Titanium has good properties in contact with the body, does not cause allergies, is biocompatible due to its physicochemical properties, could be considered ideal if not for its price. The implants are standardized, since the cost of creating individual implants based on the individual characteristics of the patient would significantly increase the cost of their production and thus the retail price. Titanium implants are placed in the body for the duration of adhesion, after which they are pulled out during surgery. This is the end of their usefulness at this stage, as removal with sharp instruments often damages the material, causing jagged furrows that can in principle no longer be corrected in any way. The research team's idea is to make it possible to reuse the removed implant. Significantly, this is in accordance with the provisions of the law, which allows such reuse of implants in veterinary treatment. At the same time, the implant must be perfect, undamaged, without damages, scratches, any defects that are a potential source of formation, such as corrosion. The research team proposes to cover the implants with a protective layer. On the model of protecting cars with ceramic coatings, smartphones with additional glass so here also a protective layer can be applied to extend the life cycle of the product. An important aspect of the proposed solution is, first of all, to modify the implants to give them antibacterial properties and protect their surface from corrosion and scratching.