Electrochemical corrosion behavior of α-titanium alloys in simulated biological environments (comparative study)

• Published in: RSC advances 2024-11, Vol.14 (51), p.3811-38119
• Main Authors: Hrir, Hala, Layachi, Omar Ait, Boudouma, Abderrazzak, El Bouari, Abdeslam, Sidimou, Abdelaziz Ait, El Marrakchi, Mohssine, Khoumri, Elmati
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacterial corrosion; Biocompatibility; Biomolecules; Comparative studies; Corrosion effects; Corrosion environments; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion resistant alloys; Corrosion tests; Dental alloys; Dental materials; Electrode polarization; Glucose; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydroxyapatite; Immersion tests (corrosion); Mechanical properties; Microscopy; Open circuit voltage; Orthopedics; Oxidation resistance; Physiological effects; Physiology; Serum albumin; Surgical implants; Titanium alloys; Titanium base alloys
• ISSN: 2046-2069; 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/d4ra05869k

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are widely utilized in orthopedic and dental applications due to their favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Notably, titanium exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and can form a stable oxide layer, ensuring the longevity and functionality of implants in challenging physiological environments. This study investigates the corrosion behavior of α-Ti alloy in physiological saline solutions, emphasizing the role of key biomolecules found in the human body, including albumin, glycine, and glucose, as well as additional substances such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and hydroxyapatite (Hap). A comprehensive suite of techniques-namely, open-circuit potential measurements, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM)-was employed to assess the effects of these biomolecules on corrosion behavior. The findings indicate that, unlike H 2 O 2 and Hap, the biomolecules studied significantly enhance the corrosion resistance of the α-Ti alloy in simulated physiological environments. H 2 O 2 , due to its strong oxidative properties, accelerates corrosion, while Hap induces ion release that adversely affects the alloy's stability. The observed improvement in corrosion resistance is attributed to the formation of a stable passive layer on the alloy's surface. Notably, this study presents the first long-term electrochemical and immersion tests conducted at 310 K, elucidating the effects of bovine serum albumin (BSA), H 2 O 2 , glycine, glucose, and Hap on the corrosion performance of the α-Ti alloy. This study examines the electrochemical behavior of titanium alloys in simulated physiological solutions using OCP, PPC, EIS, SEM, EDS, and AFM to highlight biomolecule adsorption and TiO 2 degradation in the presence of H 2 O 2 .