Photothermal effect and antibacterial properties of Zn2+, Cu2+ and Ag+ doped hydroxyapatite @ polydopamine on porous tantalum surface

[Display omitted] •In this research, a PDA-coated Zn/Cu/Ag-doped hydroxyapatite coating was successfully applied to a porous tantalum surface.•Among the evaluated variants, CuHA@PDA exhibited the most exceptional photothermal performance, achieving a photothermal conversion efficiency of 66.83%.•The sterilization rate of AgHA@PDA samples reached ninety-seven percent, and after infrared laser irradiation, it reached 99.52%.•The PDA-coated Zn/Cu/Ag-doped hydroxyapatite on porous tantalum exhibited commendable photothermal and antibacterial properties. Porous tantalum finds valuable application in biomedical materials owing to its exceptional elastic modulus and biological activity. Hydroxyapatite nanopowder shares a chemical and crystal structure akin to natural bone apatite, making it a prevalent choice for bone tissue implants. However, addressing concerns like bacterial infections has led to a pressing need for functional modifications. Employing bactericidal ions like Zn/Cu/Ag, through HA doping, holds potential for spectral sterilization. Building upon this premise, a coating involving PDA enveloping ZnHA/CuHA/AgHA can be skillfully applied onto the surface of porous tantalum. This innovation effectively enhances the photothermal properties, culminating in a synergistic antibacterial outcome. The findings reveal that CuHA@PDA boasts the highest photothermal conversion efficiency at an impressive 66.83%. Meanwhile, ZnHA@PDA and AgHA@PDA samples exhibit commendable photothermal performance, further corroborated by bactericidal efficacy demonstrated in both bacterial and in vitro immersion experiments. These results underscore the wide-ranging prospective applications in the realm of HA functionalization and light-mediated sterilization.