Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of nanotubular Ti–13Nb–13Zr alloy in Ringer’s solution

Nanotubular oxide layer formation was achieved on biomedical grade Ti–13Nb–13Zr alloy using anodization technique in 1 M H3PO4 + 0.5 wt.% NaF. The as-formed and heat treated nanotubes were characterized using SEM, XRD and TEM. Corrosion behaviour of the nanotubular alloy was investigated employing potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization. The alloy after nanotubular oxide layer formation exhibited significantly higher corrosion current density than the bare alloy. The lower corrosion resistance of the nanotubular alloy was suggested to be associated with the distinctly separated barrier oxide/concave shaped tube bottom interface. A heat treatment at 150 °C appreciably enhanced the corrosion resistance property.