The effect of hydrogen peroxide on the electrochemical behaviour of Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy in Hanks' solution

Titanium alloys are largely used for biomedical applications mainly due to their high corrosion resistance resulting from the protective oxide film formed on their surface. The literature, however, has pointed out discrepancies between in vitro tests and in vivo tests. These discrepancies have been ascribed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generated by inflammatory reactions. In this investigation the electrochemical behaviour of a Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy, which was developed as material for implants, has been evaluated in Hanks' solution, with and without H2O2. The evolution of the electrochemical behavior was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the results were fitted to an equivalent circuit that simulates an oxide film as a duplex layer structure composed of an inner barrier layer and an outer porous layer. In the solution without H2O2, the oxide film was very stable during the whole test period. On the other hand, in the solution with H2O2, the EIS results varied significantly, indicating a progressive decrease in the barrier layer resistance until 35 days which was followed by the restoration of the barrier layer protective characteristics against corrosion, either due to its growth or to its self-healing after partial consumption of the oxidant agent. The oxide film formed on the Ti alloy samples after 125 days of immersion in Hanks' solution, either with or without H2O2 was analyzed by XPS. The XPS results revealed the presence of TiO and TiO2 on the samples immersed in the two electrolytes, however, Ti2O3 was only found on the samples exposed to the H2O2 containing solution