Development of titanium oxide layer containing nanocrystalline zirconia particles with tetragonal structure: Structural and biological characteristics

Abstract

This study investigated the microstructural, mechanical and biological properties of oxide layers containing tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2) particles on pure titanium produced by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process. For this purpose, PEO processes were carried out at an AC current density of 200mA/cm(2) for 180s in potassium pyrophosphate (K4P2O7) electrolytes with and without t-ZrO2 powder. Structural investigations using transmission electron microscopy exhibited that the present nanocrystalline oxide layer evidenced the successful incorporation of a myriad of t-ZrO2 particles working as an intermediate medium to reinforce the adhesion strength between the substrate and oxide layer. Regarding biomimetic apatite formation, the t-ZrO2 particles uniformly spread were of considerable importance in triggering the nucleation and growth of biomimetic apatite on the surface of the oxide layer immersed in a simulated body fluid solution. The growth and proliferation rates of the osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) cultured on the oxide layer with t-ZrO2 particles were higher than that without t-ZrO2 particles due to the higher roughness providing the better sites for the filopodia extension and interlocking.

Keywords: Adhesion; Osteoblast; Plasma electrolytic oxidation; Tetragonal zirconia; Titanium.