Abstract
Ti6Al4V alloy orthopedic implants are widely used as Ti6Al4V alloy is a biocompatible material and resistant to corrosion. However, Ti6Al4V alloy has higher Young’s modulus compared with human bone. The difference of elastic modulus between bone and titanium alloy may evoke clinical problems because of stress shielding. To resolve this, we previously developed a TiNbSn alloy offering low Young’s modulus and improved biocompatibility. In the present study, the effects of sulfuric acid anodic oxidation on the osseointegration of TiNbSn alloy were assessed. The apatite formation was evaluated with Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses. The biocompatibility of TiNbSN alloy was evaluated in experimental animal models using pull-out tests and quantitative histological analyses. The results of the surface analyses indicated that sulfuric anodic oxidation induced abundant superficial apatite formation of the TiNbSn alloy disks and rods, with a 5.1-µm-thick oxide layer and submicron-sized pores. In vivo, treated rods showed increased mature lamellar bone formation and higher failure loads compared with untreated rods. Overall, our findings indicate that anodic oxidation with sulfuric acid may help to improve the biocompatibility of TiNbSn alloys for osseointegration.
Highlights
Ti6Al4V alloy orthopedic implants are widely used as Ti6Al4V alloy is a biocompatible material and resistant to corrosion
We previously reported that improved apatite formation was shown on the surface of TiNbSn alloy treated by acetic acid anodic oxidation (AO) and following hot water in simulated body fluid (SBF) without changing the low Young’s modulus, and increased bone bonding and higher biocompatibility for osseointegration were indicated[27,28]
We previously reported that TiNbSn alloy with by acetic acid AO treatment and subsequent hot water treatment induced hydroxyapatite formation in Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and increased bone bonding strength in rabbit femurs[27]
Summary
Ti6Al4V alloy orthopedic implants are widely used as Ti6Al4V alloy is a biocompatible material and resistant to corrosion. Ti6Al4V alloy has higher Young’s modulus compared with human bone. We previously reported that improved apatite formation was shown on the surface of TiNbSn alloy treated by acetic acid AO and following hot water in simulated body fluid (SBF) without changing the low Young’s modulus, and increased bone bonding and higher biocompatibility for osseointegration were indicated[27,28]. Treatment with a sulfuric acid AO and subsequent annealing at 500 °C to 650 °C for 5 hour in the air produced superficial apatite formation of pure titanium (CP–Ti) in SBF30–32 In these studies, subsequent annealing at temperatures >500 °C was required to induce the positive charge on the surface of TiO2 and apatite formation after soaking in SBF31,32. A new method of AO with subsequent annealing at
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