Comparison of titanium soaked in 5 M NaOH or 5 M KOH solutions

Commercially pure titanium plates/coupons and pure titanium powders were soaked for 24 h in 5 M NaOH and 5 M KOH solutions, under identical conditions, over the temperature range of 37° to 90 °C. Wettability of the surfaces of alkali-treated cpTi coupons was studied by using contact angle goniometry. cpTi coupons soaked in 5 M NaOH or 5 M KOH solutions were found to have hydrophilic surfaces. Hydrous alkali titanate nanofibers and nanotubes were identified with SEM/EDXS and grazing incidence XRD. Surface areas of Ti powders increased > 50–220 times, depending on the treatment, when soaked in the above solutions. A solution was developed to coat amorphous calcium phosphate, instead of hydroxyapatite, on Ti coupon surfaces. In vitro cell culture tests were performed with osteoblast-like cells on the alkali-treated samples.

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► Titanium was treated with 5 M NaOH and 5 M KOH alkali solutions at 37°, 60° and 90 °C.
► Treated Ti was compared with contact angle, GI-XRD, BET, SEM and cell culture tests.
► A calcification solution was developed for coating Ti at 37°C with amorphous CaP.