Heterogeneous nucleation induced A. pernyi/B. mori silk fibroin coatings on AZ31 biometals with enhanced corrosion resistance, adhesion and biocompatibility

Silk fibroin coatings on biomedical magnesium alloys have garnered significant attention due to their enhanced corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. However, the utilization of wild A. pernyi silk fibroin, known for its RGD sequence that facilitates tissue regeneration, presents a challenge for corrosion-resistant coatings on magnesium alloys due to its weak adhesion and high dissolution rate. In this study, we employed hexafluoroisopropanol as a solvent to blend A. pernyi silk fibroin with B. mori silk fibroin. The resulting blended fibroin coating at a 3:7 mass ratio exhibited a heterogeneous nucleation effect, enhancing β-sheet content (32.3 %) and crystallinity (28.6 %). This improved β-sheet promoted the "labyrinth effect" with an Icorr of 2.15 × 10−6 A cm−2, resulting in significantly improved corrosion resistance, which is two orders of magnitude lower than that of pure magnesium alloy. Meanwhile, the increased content of exposed serine in zigzag β-sheet contributes to a higher adhesion strength. Cell cytotoxicity evaluation confirmed the enhanced cell adhesion and bioactivity. This work provides a facile approach for wild A. pernyi silk fibroin coatings on magnesium alloys with enhanced corrosion resistance, adhesion and biocompatibility.