Nitretação do titânio em cátodo oco para uso biomédico

Abstract

Disk shaped samples of titanium were submitted to ionic nitriding by hollow cathode discharge with a view to biomedical applications. The main goal was to obtain good process conditions leading to higher surface contact area and, as a result of which, an increase in the wetabillity of the surface was expected. This is a very important surface feature to be considered during the precursory mechanisms of the osseointegration to dental implants. The experimental parameters ranged from the pressure of 2,5 to 1,5 mBar, temperature from 400 to 600 ºC and exposing time between 1 and 2 hours. The samples were characterized by optical and electronic microscopy, difractometry of X-ray, as well as roughness and wetabillity rehearsal. It could be observed that for temperatures above 500°C, the samples presented dark coloration and non-uniforms layers. Furthermore, these layers proved to be easily detached under ultrasound cleaning procedure. The achieved values for the roughness of the complete set of treated samples were higher when compared with the values obtained from the untreated samples. Owing to this fact, the wetabillity presented optimal results. Once more, these figures were higher than those of the untreated samples, thus encouraging subsequent studies in dental implants