In vitro apatite formation on chemically treated (P/M) Ti-13Nb-13Zr.
OBJECTIVE
Titanium alloys are considered the material of choice when used as endosteal part of implants. However, they are not able to bond directly to bone. The objective of this study was to suggest a chemical surface treatment for Ti-13Nb-13Zr to initiate the formation of hydroxy carbonated apatite (HCA) during in vitro bioactivity tests in simulated body fluid (SBF).


METHODS
Titanium, niobium, and zirconium hydride powders were blended, compacted and sintered. Sintered Ti-13Nb-13Zr samples were etched in HCl, H(3)PO(4), and in a mixture of HF+HNO(3), respectively, and subsequently pretreated in NaOH. The influence of acid etching conditions on the microstructure of the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloys as well as on the rate of HCA formation was evaluated using SEM-EDS, FTIR, and gravimetric analyses.


RESULTS
Sintered Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloys consist of a Widmannstätten (alpha+beta) microstructure. Exposure of chemically etched and NaOH activated samples to SBF for 1 week leads to the formation of a HCA layer on the surface of HCl as well as H(3)PO(4) treated samples. No HCA formation was found on HNO(3) treated samples. After 2 weeks in SBF the mass increase, that can be correlated to the HCA formation rate, was the highest for HCl pretreated samples (2.4 mg/cm(2)) followed by H(3)PO(4) (0.8 mg/cm(2)) and HNO(3) pretreated ones (0.2 mg/cm(2)).


CONCLUSIONS
Since the in vitro HCA formation from SBF is generally accepted as a typical feature for bioactive materials, it is supposed that HCl etching with subsequent NaOH treatment might enhance the in vivo bone-bonding ability of Ti-13Nb-13Zr.
Müller
Frank A
FA
Department of Materials Science (III)-Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Bottino
Marco C
MC
Müller
Lenka
L
Henriques
Vinicius A R
VA
Lohbauer
Ulrich
U
Bressiani
Ana Helena A
AH
Bressiani
José C
JC
D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D001031:Apatites / Q000032:analysis*; D003722:Dental Alloys; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; D008422:Materials Testing; D008669:Metallurgy; D017942:Nitric Acid; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D011208:Powders; D012463:Saliva; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium
D001031:Apatites; D003722:Dental Alloys; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D011208:Powders; C090153:titanium alloy (TiNb13Zr13); D017942:Nitric Acid; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D014025:Titanium; C030242:phosphoric acid; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid