Mechanical, Thermal, Chemical and Electrochemical Surface Treatment of Titanium

Abstract

In the production of medical devices or components of titanium, the material - usually a rod or sheet - is first shaped into the geometrical shape of the product. The shape is of course determined by the intended use and function of the component or device which in turn defines certain criteria with regard to, e.g., mechanical strength, weight, size, electrical properties or aesthetics. For medical devices intended to function in direct contact with living tissues, the biological response resulting from interactions with the material is an additional important factor. As discussed in several other chapters in this book, there now exists clear evidence that the biological performance of a material is influenced to a great extent by its surface properties. In fact, it is generally accepted that the outermost atomic/molecular layers of the material can play a key role. For this and several other reasons, surface processing has assumed increasing importance for research, development and production of medical devices. This is especially true for titanium and its alloys, which probably are the most extensively studied materials when in comes to surfaces in biomedical applications.