| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1428651 | Materials Science and Engineering: C | 2014 | 7 Pages |
•Hydrothermal treatment in distilled water was applied to valve metals.•Surface characteristics and osteoconductivity by in vivo test were evaluated.•Water contact angles of valve metals were decreased by hydrothermal treatment.•Osteoconductivity of valve metals improved notably by hydrothermal treatment.
In this study, we produced super-hydrophilic surfaces of valve metals (Ti, Nb, Ta and Zr) by one-step hydrothermal treatment. Their surface characteristics and osteoconductivity using an in vivo test were then assessed. These data were compared with that of as-polished, as-anodized and both anodized + hydrothermally treated samples. Changes in surface chemistry, surface morphology and structure were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. The results revealed that the water contact angles of valve metals were decreased by hydrothermal treatment and continued to reduce dramatically until lower than 10° after being immersed in phosphate buffered solution. By producing super-hydrophilic surfaces, the osteoconductivity of these hydrothermally treated valve metals was enhanced by up to 55%.
