Sol–gel hybrid coatings with strontium-doped 45S5 glass particles for enhancing the performance of stainless steel implants: Electrochemical, bioactive and in vivo response

• Hybrid sol gel coatings onto SS are integer and homogeneous, with absence of flaws.
• Functionalization of hybrid coatings with Sr-glass particles shows bioactivity.
• Electrochemical tests indicate that corrosion behavior improves in coated samples.
• The T-BGSr condition in vivo presents mineralized, mature and stable tissue.

The protection of stainless-steel implants by applying a hybrid organic–inorganic coating generates a barrier for ion migration and a potential holder for functional particles. Chemical composition of bioactive silicate-glasses (BG) can be varied to tailor their rate of dissolution in the biological environment. The substitution of calcium by strontium (Sr) generates a locally-controlled release of Sr-ions to the media. Strontium is known to reduce bone resorption and stimulate bone formation.This work presents coatings made by sol–gel method containing tetraethoxysilane, methyl-triethoxysilane and silica nanoparticles as precursors, and functionalized either with BG or Sr-substituted BG particles onto surgical grade stainless steel. The coated implants were tested in vitro for corrosion resistance and bioactivity, and in vivo to analyze bone formation.The applied coating system provided an excellent protection to aggressive fluids, even after 30 days of immersion. The presence of hydroxyapatite is shown as a first evidence of bioactivity. The evaluation of in vivo tests in Wistar–Hokkaido rat femur 4 or 8 weeks after the implantation showed slight differences in the thickness of newly formed bone measured by ESEM, and remarkable changes in bone quality characterized with Raman microscopy. The in vivo response of the coatings containing Sr-substituted bioglass is better at early times of implantation as regards the bone morphology and quality making this functionalized coatings a very promising option for implant protection and bone regeneration.