Abstract
Anodizing is expected to be an effective method to improve the osteoconductivity of the Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr (TNTZ) alloy because the bioactivity of anodized Ti is good. However, it is not known how the alloy elements influence the surface roughness, composition, hydrophilicity, and osteoconductivity of the anodized film on the Ti alloy. In this study, we investigated the effects of anodizing on the surface properties and the osteoconductivity of the anodized TNTZ alloy, focusing on the functions of the individual alloy elements. The anodized oxides of the Nb, Ta, and Zr metals were hydrophobic at all the voltages applied, in contrast to the anodized oxide of Ti. As well as pure Ti, a TiO2-based oxide film formed on TNTZ after anodizing. However, the oxide film also contained large amounts of Nb species and the molar Nb/Ti ratio in the TNTZ alloy was high, which makes the surface more hydrophobic than the anodized oxide on Ti. In vivo tests showed that the osteoconductivity of the TNTZ alloy was sensitive to both its surface roughness and hydrophilicity. When the TNTZ alloy was anodized, the process increased either the surface hydrophobicity or the surface roughness at the voltage used in this study. These changes in the surface properties did not improve its osteoconductivity.
Highlights
A new single β type Ti alloy, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr (TNTZ), has been developed for biomedical applications [1,2]
As well as pure Ti, a TiO2-based oxide film formed on TNTZ after anodizing
We investigated the influence of the Nb, Ta, and Zr species on the surface properties of the TNTZ alloy after its anodizing in an aqueous solution of H2SO4
Summary
A new single β type Ti alloy, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr (TNTZ), has been developed for biomedical applications [1,2] Because this alloy has a lower Young’s modulus than pure Ti or conventional Ti alloys, such as the Ti6Al-4V alloy, the use of this alloy as a bone substitute is expected to suppress the bone resorption caused by the stress shielding effect, which arises when the Young’s modulus of the implant material is higher than that of natural bone. The anodizing process has been investigated as a chemical surface treatment for pure Ti, and improves the osteoconductivity of Ti as much as HAp coatings do, by forming a TiO2 film [13, 14]. The osteoconductivity of the anodized films on the TNTZ alloy was evaluated in in vivo tests
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