Evaluating sol-gel ceramic thin films for metal implant applications. I. Processing and structure of zirconia films on Ti-6AI-4V.
Thin ceramic films or coatings over metallic bone-interfacing implant surfaces have the potential to improve implant performance with respect to implant fixation, wear, or corrosion. In this study, zirconia (ZrO2) thin films formed on Ti-6AI-4V using a polymeric alkoxide-based solgel process were investigated. ZrO2 films of uniform thickness on the order of 100 nm were obtained by dip coating Ti-6AI-4V samples into a zirconium propoxide containing solution using a substrate withdrawal speed ranging from 2 to 8 cm/min and a sol of nominal viscosity approximately 6 cps. These films were essentially free of surface macrodefects but had random submicron "pinholes." X-ray diffraction studies suggested that the films were at least partially crystalline, with some "metastable" cubic and/or tetragonal phases after annealing for 1 h at 500 degrees C. The demonstrated reproducibility of this approach for producing good quality ZrO2 films on Ti-6AI-4V warrants further studies to optimize processing conditions for implant applications.
Filiaggi
M J
MJ
Centre for Biomaterials, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Pilliar
R M
RM
Yakubovich
R
R
Shapiro
G
G
D000497:Alloys; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D002516:Ceramics; D005782:Gels; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012996:Solutions; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
D000497:Alloys; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D005782:Gels; D012996:Solutions; C031462:titanium alloy (TiAl6V4); D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium; C028541:zirconium oxide