Surface characteristics of a dental implant modified by low energy oxygen ion implantation

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology 2019-05, Vol.365, p.208-213
• Main Authors: Lin, Zeng, Li, Shao-Jie, Sun, Fei, Ba, De-Chun, Li, Xin-Chang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Argon; Biocompatibility; Catalytic activity; Contact angle; Dental implant; Dental implants; Electron energy; Emission analysis; Hydroxyl groups; Ion implantation; Low energy ion implantation; Medical devices; Medical electronics; Oxygen ions; Photocatalysis; Plasma; Plasma composition; Plasma state, self-doped TiO2−x; Submerging; Super hydrophilic surface; Surface properties; Surgical implants; Titanium; Titanium base alloys; Titanium dioxide; Titanium oxides
• ISSN: 0257-8972; 1879-3347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.09.003

The good biocompatibility of Titanium-based medical device is related to the thin oxide layer (titanium dioxide, TiO2) formed on the surface. In this study, Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII) method and Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) were used to produce oxidized surface in order to study the influence of plasma composition on surface composition. The result of OES showed that higher electron temperature, more metastable argon atom and oxygen ion content facilitate the formation of TiO2 top surface. The treated implant surfaces possessed higher content Ti2O3, lower contact angle. When the atomic percentage of Ti2O3 is similar to the TiO2, the contact angle is close to zero, which could attribute to the photocatalytic activity of self-doped TiO2−x. It generates more hydroxyl groups under visible light, causing a decrease in contact angle. But release of titanium ions was found in some solutions. It is believed that the TiO2−x produced by low energy oxygen ion implant has super hydrophilic properties, which indicates the potential for improved implant osseointegration in vivo. •The formation of titanium oxide surface is related to the electron temperature, excited argon atoms and oxygen ion.•The reducing of metastable argon affects the electron temperature, which will promote the formation of Ti2O3.•Ti3+ and oxygen vacancy (Ovac) on the TiO2-X surface cause hydrophilic property in visible light.