Biocompatibility Assessment of Surface Treated Ti-Ta Alloys for Orthopedic Applications

Metallic biomaterials, including stainless steels, Co-Cr, Ti and their alloys are widely used as orthopedic implants in highly loaded areas such as the stem of artificial joints. Hence, they are required to possess critical mechanical and biological properties in order to prevent premature failure and to ensure osseointegration. In comparison with other biomaterials, Ti and its alloys have become attractive materials for implant devices due to their corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, strength and lower elastic modulus. In this investigation, Ti-30Ta and Ti-30Ta-10Cr were subjected to electropolishing (EP) and magnetoelectropolishing (MEP). The corrosion resistance of the alloys was determined in accordance with ASTM 2129F-08. The surface morphology of the alloy was studied before and after the corrosion tests by SEM. The concentration of corrosion products in the solution after each corrosion test was measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICPMS) analysis.  The cytotoxicity of the leached metal ions on the viability of osteoblast cells was evaluated by SRB assays and osteoblast cell proliferation was assessed on the surface of the alloys.