Preparation and characterization of hemoglobin–silver composites as biocompatible antiseptics

Microbial contamination has been a major challenge in a wide variety of fields such as biomedical and biomaterial applications. The development of biomaterials that possess excellent antibacterial ability and biocompatibility is of great importance to enhance the service life of biomaterials. In this study, the main protein component of red blood cells, hemoglobin (Hb), was employed to prepare Ag–Hb nanocomposites as novel biocompatible antiseptics. The formation of Ag–Hb nanocomposites on the titanium substrate are confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic, contact angles, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry analysis. The Ag–Hb titanium shows potent antibacterial ability against planktonic bacteria in the suspension and ability to prevent bacterial adhesion. Moreover, the Ag–Hb titanium shows excellent biocompatibility, which supports healthy osteoblast cellular activity and osteoblast differentiation. The results indicate that the Ag–Hb nanocomposites can be potentially useful for the fabrication of biomaterials for long-term applications.