Surface modification of NiTi alloy via a TiN coating functionalized with biomimic multilayer films

• TiN coating and DS/CHI multilayer film were successfully fabricated on NiTi alloy.
• The Ni ion release from NiTi alloy was significantly reduced.
• Biocompatibility of NiTi alloy was greatly enhanced.
• The approach affords an efficient method for surface modification of NiTi alloy.

In this study, dextran sulfate (DS)/chitosan (CHI) multilayer films were fabricated on TiN-coated NiTi alloy to reduce Ni ion release and improve biocompatibility. The successful formation of TiN coating and DS/CHI multilayer films was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) test showed that the Ni ion release from NiTi alloy significantly decreased after surface modification. Cytocompatibility including osteoblasts adhesion and differentiation function was evaluated in vitro. The results suggest that this surface modification process is beneficial for osteoblasts growth on NiTi alloy substrate. The approach presented here provides an attractive way for surface modification of NiTi alloy to meet the requirements of biomedical applications.

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