Electrode distance regulates the anodic growth of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanotubes

Abstract

Electrochemical anodization of titanium has been used widely to produce self-organized TiO nanotube arrays. Many experimental parameters, such as anodizing voltage and electrolyte composition, have been investigated extensively in the anodic growth of TiO nanotubes. The effect of electrode distance on the anodic growth of TiO nanotube arrays, however, remains elusive. This could be an important problem when in situ growth of TiO nanotubes is required in microdevices. Here, we show that decreasing the electrode distance at a constant anodizing voltage enhances the anodic growth of TiO nanotubes and the change of nanotube structures becomes more sensitive to the electrode distance at high voltages. We further demonstrate the correlation between electrode distance and current density during the anodic growth of TiO nanotubes and suggest that the change of current density regulated by electrode distance controls the growth of TiO nanotubes. The present study offers an effective approach to enhance the production of TiO nanotube arrays without changing the anodizing voltage and electrolyte composition and thus provides useful insights to the anodic growth of TiO nanotubes at reduced electrode distances.

Multi-Scale Surface Treatments of Titanium Implants for Rapid Osseointegration: A Review

“…The nano-scaled topography condition is in the range of less than one micrometer. There are various surface morphologies made using different techniques and the related adjusting process parameters, for instance, nano pit, nanotubular, nanowire, nanorod, and nanopore [ 44 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 ]. Accordingly, the Three-Dimensional Printing (3DP) and Laser Surface Texturing (LST) procedures improve the surface morphology at the macro-scale, while the grit-blasting and acid-etching procedures can produce surface features and morphologies at the micro-scale [ 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ].…”

Research to Clinics: Clinical Translation Considerations for Anodized Nano-Engineered Titanium Implants

“…The surface of bone tissue naturally possesses nanoscale features, with a roughness of ∼32 nm. Nanomodification, such as TNTs, mimics the fundamental nanoscale structure of bone tissue and demonstrates excellent biocompatibility and osteointegration abilities. ,,, Moreover, TNTs-based implant surfaces incorporated with bioactive compounds can enhance the bone healing process or resist bacterial colonization . Despite the emergence and considerable progress of various techniques for implant surface modification, insufficient research remains around several important issues, including: (i) balancing bioactivity and antibacterial properties, (ii) stability and functionality in vivo , (iii) controlled drug release and minimized nanotoxicity, and (iv) improved fabrication efficacy to avoid biological aging.…”

<p>The Implication of Spatial Statistics in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Response to Nanotubular Architectures</p>

“…A custom 3D-printed apparatus for reliable electrode alignment ( Figure 1A) was designed in Fusion360 (Autodesk, USA) and printed with 1.75 mm PLA filament (AMZ3D, USA) on an I3 Mega S (ANYCUBIC, China). The apparatus was designed to fit atop of a 50 mL Pyrex beaker, containing exactly 30 mL of the electrolyte solution, and retained a stable distance between the electrodes of 2 cm to ensure consistent results, 42 without contamination of the alligator clips by the solution. After the first step of anodization, samples were rinsed with DI water, dried in air and the oxide layer peeled off with tape to expose the newly formed nucleation sites for the subsequent generation of nanotubes during the second anodization step ( Figure 1B).…”