The implementation of the Ion Plating Plasma Assisted technology in the area of surface functionalization for structural color and relic preservation applications is presented. Interferometric structural colors on irregular bumped Titanium surfaces and transparent and achromatic nano films on ancient ceramic artifact have been investigated. Titanium metal and ceramic supports have been utilized for the surface functionalization tests: A metallic electron beam additive manufactured Titanium component and an ancient tile of the XIX century, which was characterized by strong chromatic valence and by a mixed porous and glazed surfaces, have been considered. A reactive magnetron sputtering Ion Plating Plasma Assisted apparatus operating in Argon or Oxygen atmospheres for TiO 2 and SiO 2 deposition has been utilized. Preliminary tests with two plasma treatments were carried out for optimal processing conditions definition. TiO 2 nano-film deposition on irregular Ti surfaces has generated light direction depending color-changing surfaces while good achromatic and transparent coatings were obtained by using SiO 2 coating. The high processing flexibility of the Ion plating technology is discussed. The SiO 2 IPPA surfaces treatment resulted more convenient for restorative and preservation ancient historical tile was used to finally test the optimized process with Ion Beam Electron Microscopy, which was carried out on the tile porous structure, confirmed the high flexibility and efficiency of the innovative IPPA technology.

IntroductionRecently, we introduced a new deposition method, based on Ion Plating Plasma Assisted technology, to coat titanium implants with a thin but hard nanostructured layer composed of titanium carbide and titanium oxides, clustered around graphitic carbon. The nanostructured layer has a double effect: protects the bulk titanium against the harsh conditions of biological tissues and in the same time has a stimulating action on osteoblasts.ResultsThe aim of this work is to describe the biological effects of this layer on osteoblasts cultured in vitro. We demonstrate that the nanostructured layer causes an overexpression of many early genes correlated to proteins involved in bone turnover and an increase in the number of surface receptors for α3β1 integrin, talin, paxillin. Analyses at single-cell level, by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and single cell force spectroscopy, show how the proliferation, adhesion and spreading of cells cultured on coated titanium samples are higher than on uncoated titanium ones. Finally, the chemistry of the layer induces a better formation of blood clots and a higher number of adhered platelets, compared to the uncoated cases, and these are useful features to improve the speed of implant osseointegration.ConclusionIn summary, the nanostructured TiC film, due to its physical and chemical properties, can be used to protect the implants and to improve their acceptance by the bone.

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Titanium is the most widely used material in orthopaedic and dental implantoprosthesis due to its superior physical properties and enhanced biocompatibility due to the spontaneous formation of a passivating layer of titanium oxides which, however, does not form good chemical bonds with bone and tends to brake exposing bulk titanium to harsh body fluids releasing titanium particles which may prime an inflammation response and a fibrotic tissue production. In order to avoid these possible problems and to enhance the biocompatibility of titanium implants, modifications of titanium surfaces by many different materials as hydroxyapatite, titanium nitride, titanium oxide and titanium carbide have been proposed. The latter is shown to be an efficient protection for the titanium implant in the harsh conditions of biological tissues and, compared to untreated titanium, acting like an osteoblast stimulation factor increasing in vitro production of proteins involved in osteogenesis. These results were confirmed by in vivo experiments in rabbits: implants covered by the titanium carbide (TiC) layer were faster and better osseointegrated than untreated titanium implants. The TiC layer was deposited by a Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) device which allowed only one deposition per cycle, shown to be unsuitable for industrial applications. Therefore the main objective of the present work was to replace PLD process with an Ion Plating Plasma Assisted (IPPA) deposition process, which is suitable for industrial upgrading. By this technique, nanostructured TiOx-TiCy-C has been deposited on titanium after sandblasting with 120 micron zirconia spheres. XPS analyses revealed the presence of about 33% carbon (50% of which is present as free carbon), 39% oxygen and 28% titanium (37% of which is bound to carbon to form TiC and 63% is bound to oxygen to form non stoichiometric oxides). Surface mechanical response of as-deposited coatings has been performed by nanoindentation techniques. Focused Ion Beam micrographs showed bigger differences on the obtained nanostructure compared to the PLD coating structure; in vitro tests confirm for IPPA produced coatings an improvement in stimulating osteoblasts to produce mRNA's of proteins involved in the ossification process, this latter case they resulted to be faster and more efficient. The proposed treatement is expected to improve the good results obtained by PLD, in vivo as well.