Hydrothermal treatment of titanium alloys for the enhancement of osteoconductivity.

The surface wettability of implants is a crucial factor in their osteoconductivity because it influences the adsorption of cell-attached proteins onto the surface. In this study, a single-step hydrothermal surface treatment using distilled water at a temperature of 180°C for 3h was applied to titanium (Ti) and its alloys (Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr, Ti-13Cr-1Fe-3Al; mass%) and compared with as-polished Ti implants and with implants produced by anodizing Ti in 0.1M of H3PO4 with applied voltages from 0V to 150V at a scanning rate of 0.1Vs(-1). The surface-treated samples were stored in a five time phosphate buffered saline (×5 PBS(-)) solution to prevent increasing the water contact angle (WCA) with time. The surface characteristics were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, surface roughness, and contact angle measurement using a 2μL droplet of distilled water. The relationship between WCA and osteoconductivity at various surface modifications was examined using in vivo tests. The results showed that a superhydrophilic surface with a WCA≤10° and a high osteoconductivity (RB-I) of up to 50% in the cortical bone part, about four times higher than the as-polished Ti and Ti alloys, were provided by the combination of the hydrothermal surface treatment and storage in ×5 of PBS(-).