Zn-based biodegradable metals have attracted great attention due to their appealing bio-degradability and good mechanical as well as bio-functional properties. However, their excessive Zn²⁺ release and insufficient osteo-regenerative ability postpone the clinical translation. Recently, an organic-inorganic collagen-calcium/zinc phosphate hybrid system was designed on Zn surface to handle these issues by Prof. Guojiang Wan’s group, which has been published in the academic journal Biomaterials Advances. The hybrid coating could not only reduce the Zn²⁺ releasing but also enhance regenerative bone healing bioactivities from view of orthopedic application. Thanks to the highly coalesced and densely compact structure, the hybrid coating controlled Zn²⁺ releasing in a tolerate and favorable rate for cells viability. Moreover, the coated Zn showed an excellent osteogenesis and angiogenesis, indicating a potential regenerative bone healing capacity. This hybrid coating provides a novel avenue in surface modification of biodegradable metals to enhance their bone repairing regeneration.

For more details, please refer to this article (Junyu Qian et al, and Guojiang Wan*, Osteogenic and Angiogenic Bioactive Collagen Entrapped Calcium/Zinc Phosphates Coating on Biodegradable Zn for Orthopedic Implant Applications, Biomaterials Advances (2022) 212792): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.212792