Cellular different responses to different nanotube inner diameter on surface of pure tantalum

Because of excellent corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, high toughness, high hardness and moderate mechanical strength, Ta metals have excellent prospects for biomedical applications, especially implants. Many substances that interact directly with cells to affect their behavior have nanoscale topologies whose processes affect cells are also on the order of nanometer size. In this work, the surface of the nanotube structure is observed and the inner and outer diameters of the nanotubes are measured by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The contact angle is obtained by optical contact angle measuring device. Roughness is obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results show the inner diameter, outer diameter and tube thickness of the nanotubes increase linearly as the anodization voltage increases. At the macro level, as the nanotube inner diameter decreases, the roughness increases and the hydrophobicity increases. Biological results show on the structure of which the inner diameter of the nanotube is smaller, the viability and proliferation ability of the cells become stronger and the differentiation ability of the cells is also enhanced. Cells have more excellent morphology, including better spread of cells, more cell pseudopods and longer length of cell pseudopods.