| AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Plasma Processing for Biomedical Applications Focus Topic | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session PB+BI+PS-TuM |
| Session: | Plasma Processing of Biological/Biomimetic Surfaces |
| Presenter: | Denis Dowling, University College Dublin, Ireland |
| Authors: | D. Dowling, University College Dublin, Ireland M. Naciri, University Mohamed V of Rabat, Morocco M. Al-Rubeai, University College Dublin, Ireland A. Breen, University College Dublin, Ireland |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Titanium and its alloys have been widely investigated for use in orthopedic and dental implant devices, particularly for osteointegration and bio-compatibility. This paper evaluates the influence of titanium surface oxidation using a microwave plasma treatment technique on cell attachment. Commercially pure titanium (CpTi) and titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) discs were treated in an oxygen atmosphere for 5 minutes at 850 ◦C using a microwave (2.45 GHz) plasma system, operating at 2 kPa. After the 5-minute treatment, the thickness of the oxidized layer was 2.3 µm on the CpTi discs and 4.7 µm on the Ti6Al4V discs, with growth rates of 0.5 and 1 µm.min−1 respectively. Reduced plasma oxidation rates were observed on a high surface area beaded surface (Porocoat). In contrast to the plasma treatments, the use of air furnace oxidation only achieved an oxide layer thickness for the CpTi of 1 µm, when treated at the same temperature. Optical profilometry measurements were performed to determine the surface roughness; XRD, EDX, and SEM examinations were also carried out to determine the properties of the oxide layers and their morphologies. Cell attachment to the treated discs was also assessed after exposure times of 25 and 100 minutes. A 40% increase in MG63 osteoblast cell attachment on the Ti6Al4V discs was observed, when compared with that on the CpTi discs. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) specific activity of MG63 cells grown on control and plasma oxidised surfaces were compared after 21 days. A statistically significant difference between Ti6Al4V and CpTi oxidised surfaces (P<0.05), when compared to that obtained for the control surface that had not been plasma treated. The acicular morphology of the oxidised Ti6Al4V surface was found to have the most significant influence on enhancing cell attachment, combined with higher oxide layer roughness and thickness.