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Surface characterization of titanium-based implant materials
H E Placko1, S Mishra, J J Weimer
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294, USA. placko@atax.eng.uab.edu
Summary
Surface treatments affect titanium and titanium alloy properties. Electropolished and grit-blasted surfaces showed similar large-scale roughness, while electropolished and polished surfaces had similar small-scale roughness, with primarily titanium dioxide detected.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Engineering
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and titanium-6% aluminum-4% vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) alloy are widely used in biomedical applications.
- Surface properties significantly influence the performance and biocompatibility of titanium implants.
- Understanding the impact of surface treatments on titanium's morphology and chemistry is crucial for optimizing its use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of polished, electropolished, and grit-blasted surface treatments on CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V.
- To characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition resulting from different treatments.
- To compare the surface roughness and oxide layer characteristics across various treatment methods.
Main Methods:
- Surface morphology and chemistry were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Auger microprobe analysis (AMA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
- Quantitative roughness measurements were performed at both large and small scales.
- Surface elemental composition and oxide states were determined.
Main Results:
- Surface roughness was comparable between grit-blasted and electropolished samples at large scales, and between electropolished and polished samples at small scales.
- The primary surface oxide on both titanium materials, regardless of treatment, was titanium dioxide (TiO2).
- Vanadium was not detected on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy surface using XPS and AMA, suggesting potential surface depletion. Calcium was found on grit-blasted surfaces, and calcium and chlorine were detected on electropolished surfaces.
Conclusions:
- Surface treatments significantly alter the topography and chemistry of titanium and its alloys.
- Electropolishing and grit-blasting offer comparable large-scale roughness, while electropolishing and conventional polishing yield similar small-scale roughness.
- The presence of contaminants like calcium and chlorine on specific treated surfaces warrants further investigation for biomedical implications.