Dielectric Performance of Forsterite-Coated Titanium Substrate-Based Medical Implant

Abstract

Forsterite solutions with variable concentrations of tetra ethyl ortho-silicate (TEOS) and magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (MNH) are prepared using the sol-gel method. The dip coating method is applied to coat forsterite solution on a titanium (Ti) substrate. Forsterite coated Ti substrates are subjected to structural analysis and phase identification using the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) technique. Surface morphology and elemental composition of coated Ti substrates are also investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. An extensive study is also conducted with the help of a vector network analyzer (VNA) assembly to determine the dielectric properties (dielectric constant, dielectric loss, alternating current conductivity, and loss tangent) and their relationship with frequency at room temperature in the frequency range of 200 MHz - 20 GHz. Furthermore, focusing on their use in medical implants, the impact of TEOS and MNH on the surface morphology and dielectric characteristics of forsterite coated Ti substrate is also examined in detail. Results proved that forsterite coated Ti substrate with a higher composition of TEOS and MNH performs better than others.