Electrochemical preparation of protective oxide coatings on titanium surgical alloys

A novel electrochemical method is reported for the preparation of protective titanium oxide coatings to improve the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of the Ti6Al4V surgical alloy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and the X-ray diffraction technique were used to characterize the structure and the chemical composition of the oxide coatings. In vitro electrochemical corrosion studies were also conducted to assess the effectiveness of the oxide coatings in reducing the metal-ion release from Ti6Al4V. The results suggest that the coating process may provide an effective means for improving the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of Ti surgical alloys under physiological conditions.