Anodic oxides with nanotubular structure in pure zirconium for biomedical applications

A. GOMEZ SANCHEZ; INGRID MILOSEV; CERE, SILVIA

Troia

Simposio; 11th International Symposium on Electrochemical Methods in Corrosion Research, EMCR 2015; 2015

Sociedad Internacional de Electroquimica

Osseointegration process is sensitiveto surface characteristics in the micro, meso and nanometrical ranges. It isalso known that the surface chemistry of implant materials plays important rolein osseointegration rate.Valve metals presentexcellent corrosion resistance in biological media. Zirconium present inaddition low cytotoxicity and proved osseointegration capability. Theosseointegration rate in vivo can beimproved with the thickening of the surface oxide on zirconium. The surface chemistryand morphology of these materials may be tailored by anodisation by controllingthe process parameters (electrolyte, applied potential, among others).In recent years, nanotubularstructures received increasing attention due to the simultaneous multiscalecontrol of surface features. In this work, nanotubularzirconium oxide was obtained by anodisation in fluoride-containing electrolyteon cylinders and sheets of pure zirconium. The modified surface wascharacterized with SEM, Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscopy and 3D profilometry.The modified surface presents an homogeneous coverage of parallel nanotubes,open on the top (Figure 1.a). However, the oxide layer present cracks andtherefore adhesion may be studied (Figure 1.b).Similar results wereobtained in both geometries. The obtained results are promising in order todevelop controlled surface structures on complex shaped permanentimplants.