EIS and LEIS Study on In Vitro Corrosion Resistance of Anodic Oxide Nanotubes on Ti–13Zr–13Nb Alloy in Saline Solution

Abstract

This work concerns the search for new ways to modify the surface of the biomedical Ti–13Zr–13Nb alloy for applications in regenerative medicine and personalized medicine. Obtained for the first time, oxide nanotubes (ONTs) layers of first-generation (1G) on a Ti–13Zr–13Nb alloy were produced by anodizing in 0.5% HF electrolyte at 20 V for 120 min. The physico-chemical characterization of the obtained bamboo-inspired 1G ONTs was conducted using TEM and ATR-FTIR methods. In vitro corrosion resistance of the 1G ONTs and comparative Ti–13Zr–13Nb substrate in saline solution at 37 °C was conducted by open-circuit potential, Tafel curves, anodic polarization curves, and EIS methods. LEIS and SVET study of local corrosion resistance was also carried out. It was found that surface modification by anodizing of the Ti–13Zr–13Nb alloy under proposed conditions allowed to obtain porous ONTs highly resistant to pitting corrosion. The obtained results give a new insight into the relationship between the morphological parameters of first-generation oxide nanotubes and in vitro corrosion resistance of the Ti–13Zr–13Nb alloy in saline solution at the macro- and microscale.

Recent Trends and Progress in Corrosion Inhibitors and Electrochemical Evaluation

“…This leads to the conclusion that, compared to the Ti-13Zr-Nb alloy with a 1G ONTs layer, the surface of the non-anodized Ti-13Zr-Nb alloy exhibits a heterogeneous distribution of impedance values. It was discovered that under the suggested circumstances, anodizing the surface of the Ti-13Zr-13Nb alloy's surface made porous ONTs significantly more resistant to pitting corrosion [152]. LEIS frequently calls for specific hardware and setup, such as scanning probe microscopy in conjunction with impedance measurement methods.…”

Biological Activity and Thrombogenic Properties of Oxide Nanotubes on the Ti-13Nb-13Zr Biomedical Alloy

“…The addition of Nb and Zr in the amount of 13 wt.% provides appropriate properties for application in regenerative medicine. Additionally, it ensures better biocompatibility and higher corrosion resistance compared to titanium [11][12][13][14]. Anodization of the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy was conducted using the anode made of the tested sample and the Pt cathode at a distance of 25 mm in a face-to-face position (Figure 1).…”

“…Currently, the most common titanium alloys for biomedical applications include the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy [9][10][11][12][13][14]. The superiority of the willingness to use Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy includes the fact that there is less release of metal ions during the spontaneous passivation of Ti-13Nb-13Zr because the corrosion products of the smaller alloy elements Nb and Zr are less soluble than Al and V. In addition, the native oxide layer on the alloy surface reveals higher resistance to corrosion and provides better protection for the underlying alloy [4,[13][14][15][16][17]. The combination of the three most biocompatible elements, i.e., titanium, niobium, and zirconium, that do not show toxic or carcinogenic reactions with tissue and cells, allowed this alloy to be classified as the most promising material for bone implants [8,18].…”