Effect of Alkali and Heat Treatments of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy on the Precipitation of Calcium Phosphate

Ti-6Al-4V 합금의 알칼리 및 열처리가 인산칼슘 침착에 미치는 영향

The precipitation of calcium phosphate on implant surface has been known to accelerate osseointegration and to enhance osseous adaptation. The present study was performed to examine whether the precipitation of calcium phosphate on Ti-6Al-4V alloy could be affected by the immersion in NaOH solution and heat treatment. Ti-6Al-4V alloy plates of $15{\times}3.5{\times}1mm$ in dimension were polished sequentially from #240 to #2,000 emery paper and one surface of each specimen was additionally polished with $0.1{\mu}m$ alumina paste. Polished specimens were soaked in various concentrations of NaOH solution(0.1, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 10.0 M) at $60^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours for alkali treatment, and 5.0 M NaOH treated specimens were heated for 1 hour at each temperature of 400, 500, 600, 700, $800^{\circ}C$. After the alkali and heat treatments, specimens were soaked in the Hank's solution with pH 7.4 at $36.5^{\circ}C$ for 30days.The surface ingredient change of Ti-6Al-4V alloy was evaluated by thin-film X-ray diffractometer(TF-XRD) and the surface microstructure was observed by scanning electron microscope(SEM), and the elements of surface were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). The results were obtained as follows ; 1. The precipitation of calcium phosphate on Ti-6Al-4V alloy was accelerated by the immersion in NaOH solution and heat treatment. 2. In Alkali treatment for the precipitation of calcium phosphate on Ti-6Al-4V alloy, the optimal concentration of NaOH solution was 5.0 M. 3. In heat treatment after alkali treatment in 5.0 M NaOH solution, the crystal formation on alloy surface was enhanced by increasing temperature. In heat treated alloys at $600^{\circ}C$, latticed structure and prominences of calcium phosphate layer were most dense. On heat treated alloy surface at the higher temperature(${\geq}700^{\circ}C$), main crystal form was titanium oxide rather than apatite. The above results suggested that the precipitation of calcium phosphate on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloy could be induced by alkali treatment in 5.0 M-NaOH solution and by heat treatment at $600^{\circ}C$.