Sterilization is the final surface treatment procedure of all implantable devices and is one of the key factors which have to be considered before implementation. Since different sterilization procedures for all implantable devices influence mechanical properties as well as biological response, the influence of different sterilization techniques on titanium nanotubes was studied. Commonly used sterilization techniques such as autoclaving, ultra-violet light sterilization, hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization as well as the not so frequently used gaseous oxygen plasma sterilization were used. Three different nanotube diameters; 15 nm, 50 nm and 100 nm were employed to study the effects of various sterilization techniques. It was observed that autoclave sterilization resulted in destruction of nanotubular features on all three studied nanotube diameters, while UV-light and both kinds of plasma sterilization did not cause any significant morphological changes on the surfaces. Differences between the sterilization techniques employed influenced cytocompatibility, especially in the case of nanotubes with 100 nm diameter.

Centre of Polymer Systems University Institute Tomas Bata University in Zlin Nad Ovcirnou 3685 760 01 Zlin Czech Republic

Department of Biology Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana Večna pot 111 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia

Department of Materials Science and Engineering WW4 LKO University of Erlangen Nuremberg Martensstr 7 91058 Erlangen Germany

Jožef Stefan Institute Jamova cesta 39 Ljubljana SI 1000 Slovenia

Laboratory of Biophysics Faculty of Electrical Engineering University of Ljubljana Tržaška 25 Ljubljana SI 1000 Slovenia

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