▎ 摘　　要

Bioinert ceramic, such as zirconia, provides the mechanical strength required in implants, but its limited bioactivity renders it incapable of osseointegration. Thus, its biomedical application is limited. Graphene and its derivatives possess excellent bioactivity and can enhance osseointegration, hemocompatibility and antibacterial properties. Here, we introduce an innovative technique for functionalizing bioinert ceramic by immobilizing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) onto the surface by tailored self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Three routes have been applied for immobilization: i) spontaneous reaction between -OH groups of zirconia and organic functional groups of rGO, ii) spontaneous reaction between -NH2 functionalized ZrO2 attained by silanization and -COOH groups of rGO and iii) reaction between -NH2 functionalized zirconia and activated -COOH groups of rGO attained by using the catalysts EDC and NHS. The most efficient immobilization was obtained between activated -COOH groups of rGO and -NH2 functionalized zirconia. Thereby, for the first time rGO was successfully coupled to ZrO2 using SAM technique. Through this technique, the properties of rGO and zirconia could be merged to create a versatile biomaterial. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.