Formation of homogeneous nanotubes on titanium c.p. by anodizing technique for biomedical applications

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The nanostructures and within them, the titanium dioxide nanostructures have had an investigative awakening because they have a large surface area, allowing ion exchange processes and possible photocatalytic activity. One of the structures that have attracted more the attention of researchers is nanotubular because it presents unique geometric properties that allow it to be applied as a catalyst in reactions that employ radiation for removing water contaminants, like the sensor of chemical compounds present in the air, and in medicine as a biomedical device. Although there are several methods of producing titanium dioxide nanotubes, one that has gained strength because of its easy implementation and simplicity is the anodizing process. Titanium is a material used in many engineering fields due to its high mechanical and corrosion resistance properties, but to further enhance the above features, anodizing is presented as a viable option for surface improvement, because it can produce nanotubes with higher organization and orientation that with other techniques could not be obtained. This project aim was obtained homogeneous TiO2 nanotubes on c.p Ti using aqueous electrolytes. For that purpose, an anodizing protocol was established to get geometrically homogeneous nanotubes by modifying different parameters of the anodizing process. Then the best coatings were selected and were characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, XRD, and micro-Raman, correlating the obtained with the nano-tubular coating characteristics, after that, it was analyzed the effect of the above on biocompatibility and antibacterial capacity of coatings by bioassays.