Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
7
Titanium Nanotubes as Carriers
of Osteogenic Growth Factors
and Antibacterial Drugs
for Applications in Dental
Implantology
K. Subramani,
1
and W. Ahmed
2
1
Department of Orthodontics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
2
Institute of Nanotechnology and Bioengineering, School of Computing, Engineering
and Physical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
CONTENTS
7.1
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................103
7.2
Titanium Nanotubes ........................................................................................................................104
7.3
TiO
2
Nanotubes for Implant Fabrication.............................................................................................105
7.4
Functionalization of TiO
2
Nanotubes with Growth Factors
and Antibacterial/Anti-Inflammatory Drugs ........................................................................................105
7.5
Conclusions....................................................................................................................................109
References ............................................................................................................................................110
7.1
INTRODUCTION
A nanotube is a tube-like structure at the nanometer-scale (10
9
m). Carbon nanotubes were first syn-
thesized in 1991 by Iijima
[1]
. These contained at least two layers, or often many more, and meas-
ured about 3-30 nm in outer diameter. These bilayered nanotubes were invariably closed at both
ends. In 1993, a new class of carbon nanotube was discovered with just a single layer
[2]
. These are
known as single-walled nanotubes and are generally narrower than the multiwalled tubes with diam-
eters typically in the range of 1-2 nm exhibiting extraordinary strength, unique electrical properties,
and efficient conduction of heat. The advent of carbon nanotubes stimulated intense research activi-
ties worldwide due to its wide range of potential applications. These include potential applications
in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), high-strength composite material synthesis, chemical
sensors, nanotweezers, nanoprobes, hydrogen storage and energy conversion devices, field emission
devices and their specific applications in the field of nanobiotechnology and biomaterials
[3-5]
.
