Magnesium corrosion triggered spontaneous generation of H₂O₂ on oxidized titanium for promoting angiogenesis

Although the use of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been extensively studied, current systems employ external stimuli such as light or electrical energy to produce ROS, which limits their practical usage. In this report, biocompatible metals were used to construct a novel electrochemical system that can spontaneously generate H₂O₂ without any external light or voltage. The corrosion of Mg transfers electrons to Au-decorated oxidized Ti in an energetically favorable process, and the spontaneous generation of H₂O₂ in an oxygen reduction reaction was revealed to occur at titanium by combined spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses. The controlled release of H₂O₂ noticeably enhanced in vitro angiogenesis even in the absence of growth factors. Finally, a new titanium implant prototype was developed by Mg incorporation, and its potential for promoting angiogenesis was demonstrated. Useful corrosion: An electrochemical system consisting of a biodegradable metal (Mg) and an oxygen-reduction-reaction catalyst was developed for spontaneous H₂O₂ generation. The controlled release of H₂O₂ promoted in vitro angiogenesis in the absence of any growth factors. A conventional titanium implant functionalized by simple magnesium incorporation thus also supports angiogenesis.