title: Deposition of TiN films on Co-Cr for improving mechanical properties and biocompatibility using reactive DC sputtering.
abstract: This study reports the deposition of TiN films on Co-Cr substrates to improve the substrates' mechanical properties and biological properties. In particular, the argon to nitrogen (Ar:N(2)) gas flow ratio was adjusted to control the microstructure of the TiN films. A Ti interlayer was also used to enhance the adhesion strength between the Co-Cr substrate and TiN films. A series of TiN films, which are denoted as TiN-(Ar/N(2))1:1, Ti/TiN-(Ar/N(2))1:1, and Ti/TiN-(Ar:N(2))1:3, were deposited by reactive DC sputtering. All the deposited TiN films showed a dense, columnar structure with a preferential orientation of the (200) plane. These TiN films increased the mechanical properties of Co-Cr, such as the critical load during scratch testing, hardness, elastic modulus and plastic resistance. In addition, the biological properties of the Co-Cr substrates, i.e. initial attachment, proliferation, and cellular differentiation of the MC3T3-E1 cells, were improved considerably by deposition of the TiN films. These results suggest that TiN films would effectively enhance both the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of biomedical Co-Cr alloys.
authors.affiliation: WCU Hybrid Materials Program, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Vuong-Hung
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: Se-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yook
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yuanlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gyuran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Jung-Joong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyoun-Ee
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Hag
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002858:Chromium Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002858:Chromium Alloys; C041500:titanium nitride; D014025:Titanium