Mau-Chin Lin

Effect of oxygen plasma immersion ion implantation treatment on corrosion resistance and cell adhesion of titanium surface

OBJECTIVE The study was to investigate the corrosion resistance and cell adhesion of titanium (Ti) surface for dental implant application by oxygen plasma immersion ion implantation (O-PIII) treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS Commercially pure Ti discs (grade 2) were used as the substrate. O-PIII surface treatments, with different oxygen doses (1 × 10(16) and 4 × 10(16) ions/cm(2)), were performed in a high-vacuum chamber with a radio frequency plasma source. Atomic force microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer and nanoindenter were used to analyze surface topography, chemical composition (three samples per group) and mechanical property (twenty-five samples per group) of Ti specimens, respectively. Corrosion resistance of Ti specimens (five samples per group) was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization curve measurement in simulated blood plasma solution. The adhesion and spreading of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on Ti surfaces were studied. RESULTS The results showed that O-PIII treatment had no significant influence on the surface topography of Ti specimens. The thickness of oxide layer (mainly as TiO(2)) on the O-PIII-treated Ti specimens increased with an increase in oxygen dose implanted. The O-PIII-treated Ti specimens possessed higher surface hardness and Youngs modulus than the untreated Ti specimen. Potentiodynamic polarization tests revealed that the O-PIII-treated Ti surfaces had lower corrosion rate (I(corr)) and passive current (I(pass)) than the untreated Ti surface. The adhesion and spreading of hMSCs on Ti surfaces were improved by O-PIII treatment. CONCLUSIONS O-PIII treatment could enhance the corrosion resistance and cell adhesion of Ti surface for dental implant application due to the increase in surface thickness of Ti-oxides (mainly as TiO(2)) on Ti.

Blood responses to titanium surface with TiO2 nano‐mesh structure

OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to enhance the blood responses to titanium (Ti) surfaces used for dental implant application through the formation of a TiO2 nano-mesh surface layer produced by a fast electrochemical anodization treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Electrochemical anodization treatments with different anodization currents and temperatures in an alkaline solution were used to create a nano-mesh oxide layer on polished Ti surface. Surface characterizations of the mesh structure were carried out using thin-film X-ray diffractometer, field-emission scanning electron microscope, and atomic force microscope. The blood responses, including the blood-clotting ability and platelet adhesion morphology, to the test Ti surfaces were evaluated. The blood-clotting ability, in terms of optical density of blood, was statistically analyzed using a nonparametric method, Kruskal-Wallis test, for the factor of anodization treatment. RESULTS A multilayer TiO2 nano-mesh structure was rapidly formed on the polished Ti surface using a simple electrochemical anodization treatment in an alkaline solution. The TiO2 nano-mesh had an average mesh size between 34 and 93 nm, depending on the anodization current and temperature. The features on the TiO2 nano-mesh structure on the anodized Ti surface were of a similar size scale as blood proteins, giving the material better blood clot ability (P<0.05) and improved platelet activation and aggregation as compared with an untreated polished Ti surface. CONCLUSIONS The formation of TiO2 nano-mesh on the Ti surfaces was shown to enhance blood responses, which we expect to promote cell growth in the application of dental implants.