Surface Treatment of a Titanium Implant using a low Temperature Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet

Abstract

The surface treatment of a titanium implant is investigated with a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The plasma jet is generated by the injection of He and O-2 gas mixture with a sinusoidal driving voltage of 3 kV or more and with a driving frequency of 20 kHz. The generated plasma plume has a length up to 35 mm from the jet outlet. The wettability of 4 different titanium surfaces with plasma treatments was measured by the contact angle analysis. The water contact angles were significantly reduced especially for O-2/He mixture plasma, which was explained with the optical emission spectroscopy. Consequently, plasma treatment enhances wettability of the titanium surface significantly within the operation time of tens of seconds, which is practically helpful for tooth implantation.