The main reason why titanium is often used in the human body is because of its biocompatibility and the bioactive surface after surface modification.
Surface features that affect biocompatibility include surface texture, steric hindrance, bonding sites, and hydrophobicity (wettability). Optimizing these properties can produce ideal cellular responses. Some medical implants and surgical instrument components are coated with titanium nitride + (TiN).
Titanium is considered the most biocompatible metal because of its resistance to body fluid corrosion, biological inertness +, bone-bonding + ability, and high fatigue limit.
Titanium can withstand the harsh human environment because it naturally forms a protective oxide film + in the presence of oxygen. The oxide film has strong adhesion, insolubility, and chemical impermeability, which prevents the metal from reacting with the surrounding environment. Titanium’s bone-bonding ability comes from the high dielectric constant of its surface oxide, which does not denature proteins (such as tantalum and cobalt alloys).
Titanium’s microstructure and high surface energy enable it to induce angiogenesis, which helps the bone-bonding process.
Solid titanium has a standard electrode potential of -1.63V. Solid titanium is more prone to oxidation and is, therefore a better-reducing agent.
Titanium naturally passivates to form an oxide film that becomes heterogeneous and polarized over time with exposure to the in vivo environment.
In titanium alloys such as Ti-Zr and Ti-Nb, zirconium and niobium ions released by corrosion are not released into the patient’s body but are incorporated into the passivation layer. Titanium’s oxide layer is mainly composed of TiO2, which has a stable oxide layer that improves the wettability of the implant when in contact with physiological fluids.
Edgetech Industries LLC provides a variety of commercial Pure Titanium (CP Ti) and Titanium alloys in wire, sheet, bar, tube, and other forms. We also provide Titanium expanded/stamped mesh, Titanium wire mesh, Titanium fittings, Titanium flange, and Titanium machining components. Please send your request to sales@edge-techind.com.