Wear and corrosion behavior of oxygen implanted biomedical titanium alloy Ti–13Nb–13Zr

Titanium alloy Ti–13Nb–13Zr was implanted with oxygen ions by plasma immersion ion implantation. The influence of oxygen ion implantation on the growth of apatite on the implanted sample was investigated by immersion in Hanks’ solution and also by potentiodynamic polarization studies in Hanks’ solution. XRD shows the formation of mainly anatase form of oxide. FESEM images of immersion tested samples show that growth of apatite is more with larger sized deposits on oxygen implanted surface as compared to that on the untreated substrate. XPS investigation of corrosion tested and 1 day immersed samples show higher amount of calcium, phosphorous and oxygen in hydroxide/phosphate form on the oxygen implanted sample. EDS results also confirm higher concentration of Ca and P on oxygen implanted sample. Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies show that the oxygen implanted layer behaves like a nearly ideal capacitor with better passivation characteristics. In sliding wear studies, the implanted layers displayed a lower friction coefficient as compared to the substrate one.