Abstract
Zirconium and its alloys are more suitable materials for implant surgery to be performed in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner compared with other implant materials. Although they have high anticorrosion properties in the body, as do titanium and its alloys, they have little use as implants in contact with bone because of their low osteoconductivity (bone-implant contact ratio). To improve the osteoconductivity of zirconium, niobium, and Zr-9Nb-3Sn alloy, we applied a single-step hydrothermal surface treatment using distilled water at a temperature of 180˚C for 3 h. The hydrothermally treated samples were stored in a ×5 phosphate-buffered saline (PBS(−)) solution to keep or to improve the water contact angle (WCA), which has a strongly positive effect on osteoconductivity. The specimen surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface roughness, and contact angle measurement using a 2 µL droplet of distilled water. The relationship between WCA and osteoconductivity for various surface modifications was examined using in vivo tests. The results showed that a superhydrophilic surface with a WCA ≤ 10˚ and a high osteoconductivity of up to 40% in cortical bone, about four times higher than the as-polished Zr-9Nb-3Sn and its pure alloy elements, was provided by the combination of hydrothermal surface treatment and storage in ×5 PBS(−).
Highlights
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used as a diagnostic tool in orthopedics and brain surgery
Zirconium (Zr) becomes more suitable for surgery performed in an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner because its magnetic susceptibility is closer to that of living tissue than stainless steel, Co-Cr alloys, and titanium
The oxidation layer was formed during surface treatment
Summary
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used as a diagnostic tool in orthopedics and brain surgery. Defects and distortions sometimes appear in the MRI images when metallic orthopedic implants are inserted into a patient’s body because of differences in the magnetic susceptibilities of the metals and living tissues [1]. Hydrothermal treatment became a beneficial surface modification that can improve osteoconductivity because it created a hydrophilic surface on pure Ti, and on pure Zr and Nb surfaces [11] [12]. It is necessary to keep maintain the hydrophilic surface condition before implantation In those previous researches, we detected that stored in ×5 PBS(−) before and after surface treatment improved the surface hydrophilicity of pure Ti for longer time. In this study, we investigated whether a hydrothermal treatment and storage in ×5 PBS(−) solution were beneficial methods in improving the osteoconductivity of Zr-9Nb-3Sn and its alloy.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
