Accelerated induction of in vitro apatite formation by parallel alignment of hydrothermally oxidized titanium substrates separated by sub-millimeter gaps

Although autoclaving is a common sterilization method for biomedical devices, the ability to induce deposition of apatite particles on hydrothermally treated titanium is still not fully realized. This is because the induction ability is too weak to be evaluated via in vitro apatite formation in Kokubo's simulated body fluid (SBF) by the conventional immersion method, i.e. using samples with open and smooth surface. This study reports on the surface structure of hydrothermally treated titanium and the ability to induce deposition of apatite particles on the surface of parallel confined spaces separated by sub-millimeter gaps in Kokubo's SBF. Thin-film X-ray diffraction and analyses using Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed that a nano-crystalline anatase-type titanium oxide layer was formed on titanium substrates after hydrothermal treatment at 150°C for 2 h. When growth of the titanium oxide layer was moderately suppressed, the hydrothermally treated titanium surface exhibited a characteristic interference color, silver or gold, which does not impair the esthetic appearance of the titanium-based implant. The ability to induce deposition of apatite particles on hydrothermally treated titanium was remarkably amplified by parallel alignment of substrates separated by sub-millimeter gaps.