The increasing incidence of bone fractures highlights the urgent need for advanced implant materials. Despite its extensive use, the performance of Ti-6Al-4V implants is often compromised by bacterial infections that hinder osseointegration and long-term stability. In this study, a sericin-based coating was fabricated on Ti-6Al-4V via a layer-by-layer assembly using tannic acid (TA) as a linker and sericin/graphene oxide (GO) as a top layer to enhance antibacterial and bioactive properties. The formation of the TA/sericin/GO multilayered coating was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle analyses. The sericin-modified surfaces exhibited enhanced bioactivity, promoting calcium phosphate deposition with a bone-like Ca/P ratio after 14 days in simulated body fluid. Antibacterial evaluation against Staphylococcus aureus showed bacterial reductions of 84.45% and 89.94% for Ti–TA–SS and Ti–TA–SS–GO, respectively. The coatings maintained antibacterial activity after 14 days of immersion, indicating good stability and strong potential for long-term performance under physiological conditions.
Asri et al. (Tue,) studied this question.