Implant with antimicrobial coating

Abstract

In a coated implant that releases silver ions in the human body and thereby has an antimicrobial effect, a first surface component of the coating is formed by an anode material. A second surface component of the coating is formed by a cathode material. The cathode material is higher in the electrochemical voltage sequence than the anode material. The cathode and the anode are connected with one another in an electrically conducting manner. Together with the body electrolyte in the vicinity of the implant the anode and the cathode material form a plurality of local galvanic elements.

1 . An implant that releases silver ions in the human body and provides an antimicrobial effect, comprising:
 an implant component including a first coating portion forming an anode comprising silver and a second coating portion forming a cathode, wherein the first coating portion and the second coating portions are spatially separated, wherein the cathode comprises a material having an electrochemical voltage sequence higher than silver, and wherein the cathode and the anode are coupled in an electrically conducting manner.   
     
     
         2 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises pure silver. 
     
     
         3 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises silver having a purity level of 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, or 99.9%. 
     
     
         3 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein a standard electrode potential for release of silver ions of the anode is less than about +0.8 V. 
     
     
         4 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein a standard electrode potential of the cathode is greater than about +0.8 V. 
     
     
         5 . The coated implant of  claim 4 , wherein the cathode material is gold. 
     
     
         6 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein a standard electrode potential of the cathode is greater than the standard electrode potential of the anode by at least about 0.3 V, about 0.5 V, or about 0.7 V. 
     
     
         7 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode material is embedded in the anode in an island-shaped manner. 
     
     
         8 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface component that is occupied by the anode occupies greater than about 50%, about 70%, or about 80% of the surface area of the coating. 
     
     
         9 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface component that is occupied by the anode occupies greater than about 50%, about 70%, or about 80% of the coating. 
     
     
         10 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the anode and the cathode abut against one another in flush manner. 
     
     
         11 . The coated implant of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode protrudes relative to the anode.