Sputtered crystalline TiO2 film drives improved surface properties of titanium-based biomedical implants

Author(s)

Pantaroto, Heloisa Navarro ^[1] ; Cordeiro, Jairo Matozinho ^[1] ; Pereira, Lucas Toniolo ^[1] ; de Almeida, Amanda Bandeira ^[1] ; Nociti Junior, Francisco Humberto ^[1] ; Rangel, Elidiane Cipriano ^[2] ; Azevedo Neto, Nilton Francelosi ^[3] ; Dias da Silva, Jose Humberto ^[3] ; Ricardo Barao, Valentim Adelino ^{[1, 4]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Piracicaba Dent Sch, Dept Prosthodont & Periodont, Av Limeira 901, BR-13414903 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Sao Paulo State Univ Unesp, Inst Sci & Technol, Av Tres Marco 511, BR-18087180 Sorocaba, SP - Brazil

^[3] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Dept Phys, Av Eng Luis Edmundo C Coube 14-01, BR-17033360 Bauru, SP - Brazil

^[4] Inst Biomat Tribocorros & Nanomed IBTN, Bauru, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Materials Science & Engineering C-Materials for Biological Applications; v. 119, FEB 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Different crystalline phases in sputtered TiO2 films were tailored to determine their surface and electrochemical properties, protein adsorption and apatite layer formation on titanium-based implant material. Deposition conditions of two TiO2 crystalline phases (anatase and rutile) were established and then grown on commercially pure titanium (cpTi) by magnetron sputtering to obtain the following groups: A-TiO2 (anatase), M-TiO2 (anatase and rutile mixture), R-TiO2 (rutile). Non-treated commercially pure titanium (cpTi) was used as a control. Surfaces characterization included: chemical composition, topography, crystalline phase and surface free energy (SFE). Electrochemical tests were conducted using simulated body fluid (SBF). Albumin adsorption was measured by bicinchoninic acid method. Hydroxyapatite (HA) precipitation was evaluated after 28 days of immersion in SBF. MC3T3-E1 cell adhesion, morphology and spreading onto the experimental surfaces were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Sputtering treatment modified cpTi topography by increasing its surface roughness. CpTi and M-TiO2 groups presented the greatest SFE. In general, TiO2 films displayed improved electrochemical behavior compared to cpTi, with M-TiO2 featuring the highest polarization resistance. Rutile phase exhibited a greater influence on decreasing the current density and corrosion rate, while the presence of a bi-phasic polycrystalline condition displayed a more stable passive behavior. M-TiO2 featured increased albumin adsorption. HA morphology was dependent on the crystalline phase, being more evident in the bi-phasic group. Furthermore, M-TiO2 displayed normal cell adhesion and morphology. The combination of anatase and rutile structures to generate TiO2 films is a promising strategy to improve biomedical implants properties including greater corrosion protection, higher protein adsorption, bioactivity and non-cytotoxicity effect. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/17055-8 - Photocalytic antibacterial effect of TiO2 on commercially-pure titanium surface deposited by magnetron sputtering
• Grantee: Heloisa Navarro Pantaroto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 16/11470-6 - Magnetron sputtering deposition of tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) films onto titanium surface for biomedical applications: electrochemical behavior, biocompatibility and microbiologic analysis
• Grantee: Valentim Adelino Ricardo Barão
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants