Ti6Al4V used in biomedical applications still has several surface-related problems, such as poor bone compatibility and low wear resistance. In this work, the formation of a protective layer of titanium nitride obtained by plasma treatment in hollow cathode was studied, and the best experimental conditions were verified by a statistical factorial design of experiments. The samples were characterized in terms of their physical and chemical properties, correlating the effects of time (min) and temperature (°C). An achieved ideal condition was further analysed in terms of in vitro cytotoxicity, micro-abrasion, and electrochemical properties. The carried-out assessment has shown that nitrided condition has an improvement in wettability, microhardness, along with TixNy formation and roughness increment, when compared to pristine condition.
Ti6Al4V is one of the most lightweight,
mechanically resistant,
and appropriate for biologically induced corrosion alloys. However,
surface properties often must be tuned for fitting into biomedical
applications, and therefore, surface modification is of paramount
importance to carry on its use. This work compares the interaction
between two different cell lines (L929 fibroblasts and osteoblast-like
MG63) and medical grade Ti6Al4V after surface modification by plasma
nitriding or thin film deposition. We studied the adhesion of these
two cell lines, exploring which trends are consistent for cell behavior,
correlating with osseointegration and in vivo conditions. Modified
surfaces were analyzed through several physicochemical characterization
techniques. Plasma nitriding led to a more pronounced increase in
surface roughness, a thicker aluminum-free layer, made up of diverse
titanium nitride phases, whereas thin film deposition resulted in
a single-phase pure titanium nitride layer that leveled the ridged
topography. The selective adhesion of osteoblast-like cells over fibroblasts
was observed in nitrided samples but not in thin film deposited films,
indicating that the competitive cellular behavior is more pronounced
in plasma nitrided surfaces. The obtained coatings presented an appropriate
performance for its use in biomedical-aimed applications, including
the possibility of a higher success rate in osseointegration of implants.
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