Tribocorrosion and antibacterial behaviour of TiO2 coatings obtained by PEO technique

Ti6Al4V (grade 5) is the implant material of choice to be used in stems of hip joint implants due to its good mechanical properties, biocompatibility and its good corrosion resistance. 

However, it presents poor wear resistance. This effect with the exposure of biomaterial to the body fluids that induce corrosion damage lead to irreversible material degradation, called tribocorrosion process. Another problem present in prostheses is the high risk of bacterial infection. In this work, Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation technique was used to develop TiO2 coatings with high wear resistance and antibacterial properties were developed. Microstructural and chemical characterization has been carried out. Tribocorrosion behavior was analyzed in simulated body fluid, and bacterial adhesion study was performed.