Abstract
The influence of surface treatments on the microstructure, in vitro bioactivity and corrosion protection performance of newly fabricated Ti-20Nb-13Zr (TNZ) alloys was evaluated in simulated body fluid (SBF). The TNZ alloy specimens were treated with separate aqueous solutions of NaOH and H2O2 and with a mixture of both, followed by thermal treatment. The nanoporous network surface structure observed in H2O2-treated and alkali-treated specimens was entirely different from the rod-like morphology observed in alkali hydrogen peroxide-treated specimens. XRD results revealed the formation of TiO2 and sodium titanate layers on the TNZ specimens during surface treatments. The water contact angle results implied that the surface-treated specimens exhibited improved surface hydrophilicity, which probably improved the bioactivity of the TNZ specimens. The in vitro corrosion protection performance of the surface-treated TNZ specimens was analyzed using electrochemical corrosion testing in SBF, and the obtained results indicated that the surface-treated specimens exhibited improved corrosion resistance performance compared to that of the bare TNZ specimen. The in vitro bioactivity of the treated TNZ specimens was assessed by soaking in SBF, and all the investigated treated specimens showed numerous apatite nucleation spheres within 3 days of immersion in SBF.
Highlights
Metallic materials, including 316L stainless steel (SS), titanium (Ti) and its alloys, and cobalt alloys are employed as orthopedic implants, which are clinically placed inside the human body to restore bone performance through strengthening or substituting an injured bone structure
SEM micrographs of the treated specimens are shown in Figure 1, and the treated specimens were compared using EDS analysis, shown in Figure S1 in the supporting information
Porous nanostructures on Ti surfaces play a significant role in implant materials because an interconnected
Summary
Metallic materials, including 316L stainless steel (SS), titanium (Ti) and its alloys, and cobalt alloys are employed as orthopedic implants, which are clinically placed inside the human body to restore bone performance through strengthening or substituting an injured bone structure. Orthopedic implants are utilized as permanent or temporary medical devices depending on the fractured bone. The frequency of orthopedic fractures or illness and the increasing number of aged populations have globally driven the demand for orthopedic implants in recent years. Among the available metallic implant materials, Ti and its alloys have been the most frequently utilized orthopedic implants for the past many decades due to their good ductility, high specific strength, adequate corrosion resistance and acceptable biocompatibility [1,2,3]. Several surface treatments and coatings have been developed in the past decades to create interactions between implants and the surrounding bone and to improve corrosion protection
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