Surface Analysis and In Vitro Corrosion Properties in Artificial Saliva of Surface-Treated Ti6Al4V Alloy for Dental Applications

Ti alloys are commonly used in dental applications. The surface properties of the implants influence in vitro corrosion, protein adhesion, and osseointegration. The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of surface modification: plasma treatment, sandblasting, and acid treatment on the surface roughness, wettability, surface energy, and electrochemical corrosion properties in artificial saliva of Ti6Al4V alloy for dental applications. Surface analysis was carried out using AFM, optical profilometry, XRD, SEM/EDX, and contact angle measurements. In vitro corrosion resistance analyses of surface-treated Ti6Al4V substrates were performed in artificial saliva (AS) with and without fluorides. The surface analysis results showed that sandblasting decreased the crystallite size of the alloy surface to 10.8 nm. The hydrophilicity was improved through plasma treatment and sandblasting, as evidenced by the decrease in the water contact angle to 15 and 35 deg, respectively. The surface energy, after plasma treatment and sandblasting, increased by 10 and 28 pct, respectively. The in vitro corrosion test results validated the effective role of different surface treatments on the corrosion resistance behavior of Ti6Al4V substrates in AS medium with and without fluorides. The results showed that the treated Ti6Al4V alloy had improved surface and biocorrosion properties, making it a potential candidate for dental applications.