Surgical implant finishing and sterilization procedures were investigated to determine surface characteristics of unalloyed titanium (Ti). All specimens initially were cleaned with phosphoric acid and divided into five groups for comparisons of different surface treatments (C = cleaned as above, no further treatment; CP = C and passivated in nitric acid; CPS = CP and dry-heat sterilized; CPSS = CPS and resterilized; CS = C and dry-heat sterilized). Auger (AES), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), and Raman spectroscopic methods were used to examine surface compositions. The surface oxides formed by all treatments primarily were TiO 2 , with some Ti 2 O 3 and possibly TiO. Significant concentrations of carbonaceous substances also were observed. The cleaning procedure alone resulted in residual phosphorus, primarily as phosphate groups along with some hydrogen phosphates. A higher percentage of physisorbed water appeared to be associated with the phosphorus. Passivation (with HNO 3 ) alone removed phosphorus from the surface; specimens sterilized without prior passivation showed the thickest oxide and phosphorus profiles, suggesting that passivation alters the oxide characteristics either directly by altering the oxide structure or indirectly by removing moieties that alter the oxide. Raman spectroscopy showed no crystalline order in the oxide. Carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen presence were found to correlate with previously determined surface energy.

The initial biocompatability of titanium (Ti) implants is associated with surface and not bulk properties; hence surface characterization of these implants is critical for their clinical success. A goal of this study was to characterize the Ti (ASTM F67) samples after conducting three different surface treatments. In this article, the results of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy performed on surface-modified Ti samples, and also samples immersed in alpha-modification of Eagle’s medium and in phosphate buffered saline solution after different surface treatments, are presented. Surface analysis prior to immersion revealed an amorphous oxide layer on all the samples similar in composition to TiO2. No significant difference in oxide thicknesses was observed. After exposure to the two media an amorphous or finely crystalline Ca–P layer was exhibited on all Ti surfaces, having a chemistry similar to brushite.

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo susceptibilities of a surgical cobalt-chromiummolybdenum alloy to localized corrosion. In uitro cyclic anodic polarization curves were generated for the cobalt alloy under various surface and electrolyte conditions. Surfaces of the test specimens were examined before and after each polarization experiment. In vivo analyses involved macroscopic and microscopic examinations of cobalt alloy surfaces on retrieved total hip prostheses. The electrolyte selected for the in vitro polarization study was 0.9% saline at a pH of 7.00 f 0.05 and temperature of 37 f 1°C in both aerated and deaerated conditions. Surface conditions for the cobalt alloys included nonpassivated and passivated treatments. Hysteresis behavior was exhibited by the passivated alloy but not by the nonpassivated alloy. According to the protection potential theory, hysteresis behavior indicates a material should be susceptible to pitting corrosion. Therefore, based on polarization curves and theory, the results of the present study indicated the cobalt alloy was susceptible to pitting corrosion when in the passivated condition but not when in the nonpassivated condition. Examination of the surfaces before and after each polarization curve revealed no evidence of pitting corrosion. Also, the examination of nonwear cobalt surfaces of total hip prostheses with implantation times up to 6 years revealed no features uniquely identified as the result of pitting corrosion. Therefore, it was hypothesized that certain conditions inherent in the electrochemical phase of this study had caused the development of hysteresis behavior for the passivated alloy, and this hysteresis behavior should not be associated with pitting corrosion as is normally taken to be the case by application of the protection potential theory. Instead, it is postulated that the hysteresis behavior exhibited by the passivated alloy is due to processes involving a breakdown of the pre-established passive film followed by a repassivation characteristic of the saline electrolyte.

The in vitro calcifiability and molecular weight dependence of calcification of the polypentapeptide, (L X Val1-L X Pro2-Gly3-L X Val4-Gly5)n, which had been gamma-irradiation cross-linked have been determined when exposed to dialyzates of normal, nonaugmented fetal bovine serum. The material was found to calcify: calcifiability was found to be highly molecular weight dependent and to be most favored when the highest molecular weight polymers (n approximately equal to 240) had been used for cross-linking. The in vivo biocompatibility, biodegradability, and calcifiability of the gamma-irradiation cross-linked polypentapeptide were examined in rabbits in both soft and hard tissue sites. The material was found to be biocompatible irrespective of its physical form and to be biodegradable but with n of 200 or less it was not shown to calcify or ossify in the rabbit tibial nonunion model.