Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Jet Treatment on Additively Manufactured Biomedical Implants for Improved Surface Wettability, In-vitro Bone Mineralization, and Bacterial Decontamination

Abstract Biomedical implants surfaces require improved wettability, decontamination, and bio-compatibility to ensure successful osseointegration and long-term durability. Conventional surface functionalization methods are hindered by high costs, long times, and complex setups. The DBD plasma jet offers a low-power, cost-effective, and low-temperature approach with rapid processing. This study investigates the application of a DBD plasma jet for surface modification of additively manufactured Ti-Gr23 to enhance wettability and promote bone cell mineralization. Improved surface wettability of the plasma-treated Ti-Gr23 is demonstrated by a significant reduction in the water contact angle. XPS analysis reveals that plasma interaction induces the formation of oxide metallic bonds, such as TiO2 and Ti2O3, while reducing carbon contamination, leading to increased surface energy. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the effects of treatment time, gas flow rate, and input power on the treated area, wettability, and process cost. Combination of 8s of treatment time, 2 slm gas flow rate, and 7. 4 W power achieved the largest treated area (70 mm2), maximum WCA reduction (58°), and minimal processing cost (26/m2). Cytocompatibility tests confirmed that plasma treatment had no cytotoxic effects on the surface. Additionally, plasma treatment resulted in a 45% increase in bone cell mineralization, highlighting its dual role in surface modification for improving cell adhesion and in effective sterilization approach against hospital-acquired pathogens (MRSA) for smooth and rough surfaces. Overall, plasma treatment enables simultaneous enhancement of wettability, cell adhesion, and decontamination on rough bioimplant surfaces, otherwise difficult to achieve with conventional methods like ethanol rinsing.