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. 2023 Mar 15;16(6):2352.
doi: 10.3390/ma16062352.

Surface Characterization of New β Ti-25Ta-Zr-Nb Alloys Modified by Micro-Arc Oxidation

Pedro Akira Bazaglia Kuroda  1 , Carlos Roberto Grandini  2 , Conrado Ramos Moreira Afonso  1
Affiliations

Surface Characterization of New β Ti-25Ta-Zr-Nb Alloys Modified by Micro-Arc Oxidation

Pedro Akira Bazaglia Kuroda et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

The technique of surface modification using electrolytic oxidation, called micro-arc oxidation (MAO), has been used in altering the surface properties of titanium alloys for biomedical purposes, enhancing their characteristics as an implant (biocompatibility, corrosion, and wear resistance). The layer formed by the micro-arc oxidation process induces the formation of ceramic oxides, which can improve the corrosion resistance of titanium alloys from the elements in the substrate, enabling the incorporation of bioactive components such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. This study aims to modify the surfaces of Ti-25Ta-10Zr-15Nb (TTZN1) and Ti-25Ta-20Zr-30Nb (TTZN2) alloys via micro-arc oxidation incorporating Ca, P, and Mg elements. The chemical composition results indicated that the MAO treatment was effective in incorporating the elements Ca (9.5 ± 0.4 %atm), P (5.7 ± 0.1 %atm), and Mg (1.1 ± 0.1 %atm), as well as the oxidized layer formed by micropores that increases the surface roughness (1160 nm for the MAO layer of TTZN1, 585 nm for the substrate of TTZN1, 1428 nm for the MAO layer of TTZN2, and 661 nm for the substrate of TTZN2). Regarding the phases formed, the films are amorphous, with low crystallinity (4 and 25% for TTZN2 and TTZN1, respectively). Small amounts of anatase, zirconia, and calcium carbonate were detected in the Ti-25Ta-10Zr-15Nb alloy.

Keywords: micro-arc oxidation; surface modifications; titanium alloys.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Current variation during the MAO process on TTZN1 and TTZN2 alloys (a) and film growth mechanism via MAO treatment (b).
Figure 1
Figure 1
Current variation during the MAO process on TTZN1 and TTZN2 alloys (a) and film growth mechanism via MAO treatment (b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
XRD pattern of β TTZN1 and TTZN2 after casting (a) and MAO treatment (b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Micrographs of the TTZN1 alloy surface obtained using SEM posterior MAO treatment with different magnifications: 1000× (a), 3000× (b), and cross-sectional image (c).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Micrographs of the TTZN2 alloy surface obtained by SEM posterior MAO treatment with different magnifications: 1000× (a), 3000× (b), and image of cross-section (c).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Comparative results of the roughness of TTZN1 and TTZN2 surfaces before and after MAO treatment obtained through confocal laser scanning microscopy.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison between survey spectra obtained using XPS for TTZN1 and TTZN2 after MAO treatment.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Elemental quantification obtained using XPS for TTZN1 and TTZN2 alloys.
Figure 8
Figure 8
High-resolution spectrum of Ti 2p (a), Ta 4f (b), Zr 3d (c), and Nb 3d (d) for TTZN1 and TTZN2 alloys.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Comparative contact angle and surface energy values for TTZN1 and TTZN2 alloys.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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