Fabrication of Mixed TiO2/ZrO2 Nanotubes on Aluminium AA3003-H14 for Biomedical Application
摘要
Aluminium due to its corrosion resistance and strength-to-weight ratio has a high potential for use in biomedical implants. Implants featuring nanotubular surfaces exhibit a marked enhancement in gene expression and new bone formation compared to those without nano-topography. Nevertheless, the clinical and scientific understanding of mixed oxide nanotubes, particularly their applications in the biomedical field, remains in a developmental stage. The mixed TiO2/ZrO2 nanotubular arrays (TiO2/ZrO2 NTs) possess considerable potential for dental and bone implants due to their superior chemical and mechanical properties relative to single oxide nanotubes. However, further advancements are necessary to enhance the antibacterial and biocompatibility characteristics of TiO2/ZrO2 to fulfil the safety requirements for implants. In this study, TiO2/ZrO2 nanotube coatings were produced on aluminium alloy series AA3003-H14 through magnetron sputtering of mixed Ti/Zr, followed by anodic oxidation and subsequent annealing for 1 hour at 450 °C. The findings indicate a highly ordered mixed nanotube structure was successfully achieved, with an average length and diameter of approximately 1 μm and 55 nm, respectively. The results further demonstrate that the developed TiO2/ZrO2 nanotubes significantly enhance in vitro bioactivity, indicating their promising biomedical properties to improve the bio-functionality of aluminium alloys for dental implant applications.