Wettability Modification for Biosurface of Titanium Alloy by Means of Sequential Carburization

Microporous titanium carbide coating was successfully synthesized on medical grade titanium alloy by using sequential carburization. Changes in the surface morphology of titanium alloy occasioned by sequential carburization were characterized and the wettability characteristics were quantified. Furthermore, the dispersion forces were calculated and discussed. The results indicate that sequential carburization is an effective way to modify the wettability of titanium alloy. After the carburization the surface dispersion force of titanium alloy increased from 76.5 × 10−3 J·m−2 to 105.5 × 10−3 J·m−2, with an enhancement of 37.9%. Meanwhile the contact angle of titanium alloy decreased from 83Û to 71.5Û, indicating a significant improvement of wettability, which is much closer to the optimal water contact angle for cell adhesion of 70°.