Wear resistance and biocompatibility of SrO/Ti-3Cu composite materials

To improve the biocompatibility and bioactivity of Ti-Cu alloy, the composite material (SrO/Ti-3Cu) was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS), incorporating 3wt.% Cu and varying mass fractions of SrO co-doped titanium. To analyze the microstructure, morphology, and wear resistance of composites using micro-hardness tester, XRD, XPS, optical microscope, SEM, friction tester, etc. Plate counting method, CCK-8, cell viability staining, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity detection were used to evaluate the antibacterial performance, cell biocompatibility, and bone activity of each group of materials. The results indicated that as the SrO content increases, the relative density of composites decreases, while the micro-hardness shows no significant change. When the SrO content reached 3%, the material demonstrated the lowest coefficient of friction and wear rate, significantly outperforming other compositions in terms of wear resistance. Antibacterial tests revealed that all composites achieved an antibacterial rate exceeding 98%, indicating strong antimicrobial efficacy. In vitro cell experiments showed that composites extract promoted the proliferation and fusion growth of osteoblasts, and upregulated the ALP activity. Notably, the composite containing 3% SrO exhibited the best in vitro biocompatibility and promotes osteogenic differentiation potential.