The study of the interaction between surfaces is a crucial aspect of engineering, but it is especially important in the context of biomedical applications of metallic materials in medicine. The materials used for medical implants must meet strict physical and chemical requirements, but most importantly, they must ensure the safety of the patient by being as immunologically inactive as possible. This research aimed to investigate the impact of laser microalloying a titanium base material coated with gold to achieve the specific phase – Ti3Au [1], which is said to possess mechanical and physico-chemical properties desirable in the field of biomedical engineering such as high hardness, good wear properties and high biocompatibility. In this study, CP Ti Grade II and Ti13Zr13Nb alloy were laser treated to form in the surface area the intermetallics that improve their mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. The research specifically focused on the microstructural and phase formation during the laser treatment of CP TI grade II and Ti13Zr13Nb that were enriched with gold, and how such treatment influences the nano-harness of the material. Additionally, the research is aimed at understanding on how the surface properties are affected by the laser microalloying process [2] and how they can be controlled to produce the desired outcomes. Optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to describe the phenomena that occurred. The resulting change in hardness was measured using the nano-indentation. The tests carried out allowed a positive evaluation of the obtained multilayer surfaces obtained. Several regions with different atomic concentrations of gold and titanium were found [3], of which the surface layer contained a Ti3Au phase. The gold-enriched and laser-alloyed specimens were characterised by increased hardness, allowing for further research towards optimisation of the process. 

References

[1] E. Svanidze, T. Besara, M.F. Ozaydin, C.S. Tiwary, J.K. Wang, S. Radhakrishnan, S. Mani, Y. Xin, K. Han, H. Liang, T. Siegrist, P.M. Ajayan, E. Morosan, Science Advances, 2016, 2.

[2] M. Giannelli, D. Bani, A. Tani, F. Materassi, F. Chellini, C. Sassoli, Journal of Periodontology, 2017, 88, 1211–1220.

[3] W.E. Martinez, G. Gregori, T. Mates, Thin Solid Films, 2010, 518, 2585–2591.