Improving the fretting biocorrosion of Ti6Al4V alloy bone screw by decorating structure optimised TiO2 nanotubes layer

TiO2 nanotubes (NT) has been demonstrated its potential in orthopaedic applications due to its enhanced surface wettability and bio-osteointegration. However, the fretting biocorrosion is the main concern that limited its successfully application in orthopaedic application. In this study, a structure optimised thin TiO2 nanotube (SONT) layer was successfully created on Ti6Al4V bone screw, and its fretting corrosion performance was investigated and compared to the pristine Ti6Al4V bone screws and NT decorated screw in a bone-screw fretting simulation rig. The results have shown that the debonding TiO2 nanotube from the bone screw reduced significantly, as a result of structure optimisation. The SONT layer also exhibited enhanced bio-corrosion resistance compared pristine bone screw and conventionally NT modified bone screw. It is postulated that interfacial layer between TiO2 nanotube and Ti6Al4V substrate, generated during structure optimisation process, enhanced bonding of TiO2 nanotube layer to the Ti6Al4V bone screws that leading to the improvement in fretting corrosion resistance. The results highlighted the potential SONT in orthopaedic application as bone fracture fixation devices