Abstract
Niobium coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering were evaluated as a possible surface modification for stainless steel (SS) substrates in biomedical implants. The Nb coatings were deposited on 15 mm diameter stainless steel substrates having an average surface roughness of 2 mm. To evaluate the biocompatibility of the coatings three different in vitro tests, using human alveolar bone derived cells, were performed: cellular adhesion, proliferation and viability. Stainless steel substrates and tissue culture plastic were also studied, in order to give comparative information. No toxic response was observed for any of the surfaces, indicating that the Nb coatings act as a biocompatible, bioinert material. Cell morphology was also studied by immune-fluorescence and the results confirmed the healthy state of the cells on the Nb surface. X-ray diffraction analysis of the coating shows that the film is polycrystalline with a body centered cubic structure. The surface composition and corrosion resistance of both the substrate and the Nb coating were also studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and potentiodynamic tests. Water contact angle measurements showed that the Nb surface is more hydrophobic than the SS substrate.
Highlights
Biomaterials are an important aspect in the development of biomedical devices and implants
Carbon and oxygen signals seen in the Niobium films (Nb) spectra, appeared as surface contaminants, which were removed by an argon cleaning process, indicating that they were not chemically bonded to the constituent elements
Comparing with stainless steel 316L and tissue culture plastic, the adhesion and proliferation of human osteoblast cells showed a remarkable difference of the cell behavior
Summary
Biomaterials are an important aspect in the development of biomedical devices and implants. Over the last years, the development of surface modification techniques for biomaterials has been expanding rapidly. In this way, it is possible to make ideal biomaterials with surfaces attributes that are decoupled from the bulk properties. One of the surface properties of great importance for orthopedic or dental implants, which is capable of being modified, is the corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance of the metallic materials determines the device service life, but is important because of the harmfulness of corrosion products, which can be released and interact with the living organisms [1]. Refractory metals are known to have excellent corrosion resistance, and this explains the extensive use of Co-Cr and Ti alloys for orthopedic implants
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