• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.377-386
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• 2024

The surface of titanium (Ti) dental implants was modified by applying a zinc (Zn)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) coating. Initially, the Ti surfaces were etched with NaOH, followed by a hydrolysis co-condensation using tetrabutyl titanate (TBT, Ti(OC₄H₉)₄) and zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O), with ammonia water (NH₃·H₂O) acting as a hydroxide anion source. The morphology and chemical composition of the Zn-doped TiO₂-coated Ti plates were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Synthesis temperatures were carefully adjusted to produce anatase Zn-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles with a bipyramidal structure and approximate sizes of 100 nm. Wettability tests and cell viability assays demonstrated the biomedical potential of these modified surfaces, which showed high biocompatibility with a survival rate of over 95 % (p < 0.05) and improved wettability. Corrosion resistance tests using potentiodynamic polarization reveal that Zn-TiO₂-treated samples with an anatase crystal structure exhibited a lower corrosion current density and more noble corrosion potential compared to samples coated with a rutile structure. This method offers a scalable approach that could be adapted by the biomaterial industry to improve the functionality and longevity of various biomedical implants.