Surface treatment process for implants made of titanium alloy
A titanium 6 A1/4V alloy is provided with a surface topography that is similar to the Osseotite® surface produced on commercially pure titanium. Native oxide is removed from the Ti 6A1/4V alloy, followed by contacting the metal at ambient temperature with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution containing a relatively small amount of hydrofluoric acid.
1. A method of producing a uniformly roughened surface on Ti 6/4 alloy for contact with living bone comprising:
treating least a portion of the implant surface for a suitable period of time to create a first surface; and
contacting the first surface with a first aqueous solution including hydrofluoric acid and hydrochloric acid for a suitable period of time to create a second surface having a topography for osseointegration of the implant with living bone, the topography having irregularities with peak-to-valley heights of less than 10 microns, wherein the first aqueous solution includes about 0.005 to about 1.0 wt% hydrofluoric acid and about 10 to about 30 wt% hydrochloric acid.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing native oxide from the Ti 6/4 alloy prior to treating by contacting the alloy with a second aqueous solution for a suitable period of time, the second aqueous solution including hydrofluoric acid.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second aqueous solution contains about 7.9 to about 9.0 wt% hydrofluoric acid.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
rinsing the first surface after the treating to remove residual debris; and
rinsing the second surface after the contacting the first surface with the first aqueous solution to remove residual first aqueous solution.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first aqueous solution includes about 0.0845 wt% hydrofluoric acid and about 20 wt% hydrochloric acid.
6. A method of producing a uniformly roughened surface on a Ti 6/4alloy implant for contact with living bone, the implant having a head section, a neck section below the head section, and a threaded section below the neck section, the method comprising:
treating at least a portion of the neck section and at least a portion of the threaded section directly below the neck section for a suitable period of time to create a first surface;
contacting the first surface with a first aqueous solution including hydrofluoric acid and hydrochloric acid for a suitable period of time to create a second surface having a topography for osseointegration of the implant with living bone, the topography having peak-to-valley heights of less than 10 microns, wherein the first aqueous solution includes about 0.005 to about 1.0 wt% hydrofluoric acid and about 10 to about 30 wt% hydrochloric acid.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising removing native oxide from the neck section and the threaded section prior to the act of treating by contacting the alloy with a second aqueous solution for a suitable period of time, the second aqueous solution including hydrofluoric acid.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second aqueous solution contains about 7.9 to about 9.0 wt% hydrofluoric acid.
9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
rinsing the first surface after the treating to remove residual debris; and
rinsing the second surface after the contacting the first surface with the first aqueous solution to remove residual first aqueous solution.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the first aqueous solution includes about 0.0845 wt% hydrofluoric acid and about 20 wt% hydrochloric acid.
11. A method of producing a uniformly roughened surface on Ti 6/4alloy for contact with living bone comprising:
treating least a portion of the implant surface with an aqueous solution for a suitable period of time to remove native oxide from the implant surface to create a first surface; and
contacting the first surface with a first aqueous solution including hydrofluoric acid and hydrochloric acid for about twenty (20) minutes at ambient temperature to create a second surface having a topography for osseointegration of the implant with living bone, the topography having peak-to-valley heights of less than 10 microns, wherein the first aqueous solution includes about 0.005 to about 1.0 wt% hydrofluoric acid and about 10 to about 30 wt% hydrochloric acid.