Study on the antibacterial, osteogenic, and biocompatible properties of a novel highly homogeneous powder-forming porous Ti-5Cu alloy fabricated via additive manufacturing

Postoperative infection and inadequate bone regeneration remain critical challenges in joint revision surgery. Novel highly homogeneous copper-coated titanium powder derived via the sol-gel method was used to fabricate Ti-5Cu scaffolds with gyroid structures via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Materials characterization; mechanical testing; copper release profiling; antimicrobial assays against S. aureus and E. coli ; cytocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation with MC3T3-E1 cells; and in vivo validation using rabbit infection models, rat subcutaneous implantation models and rat bone defect models were performed. The resultant Ti‒Cu powder had a homogeneous copper distribution, high sphericity, and good flowability. The Ti-5Cu scaffolds demonstrated optimal structural parameters (67.19% porosity and 506 μm pore size) and enhanced mechanical properties (205.98 MPa yield strength and 8.16 GPa elastic modulus). The material exhibited sustained copper ion release (0.1–0.8 mg/L over 28 days), potent antibacterial activity (99% reduction against S. aureus and E. coli ), and potent antibiofilm activity and significantly enhanced osteogenic differentiation at both the gene and protein levels. The in vivo results confirmed effective infection control, promoted bone regeneration, and excellent biocompatibility with no systemic toxicity. The novel Ti-5Cu scaffold integrates an optimal structural design with homogeneous copper distribution, demonstrating simultaneous antimicrobial efficacy, osteogenic promotion, and biocompatibility, representing a promising solution for complex orthopedic reconstruction cases.