Abstract
This article presented the results of Ti Grade 2 oxidation with the duplex/hybrid method, which combined fluidized bed atmospheric diffusive treatment (FADT) and treatment with plasma methods (PVD). The process was realized to form a titanium diffusive layer saturated with oxygen in the diffusion process and to produce a tight homogeneous oxide coating on Ti substrate, deposited with the magnetron spraying technique. The techniques applied made it possible to combine the synergetic effects of the layers generated and to reduce the stresses in the area of the PVD coating/oxidized Ti substrate interface. In addition, the processes influenced the decrease in the surface roughness parameter and the increase in substrate bio-compatibility, which resulted in easier hydroxyapatite clusters deposition. The diffusion process was realized in Al2O3 fluidized bed reactor, at 913 K for 8 h with air atmosphere, while the deposition of the oxide coatings was realized with magnetron sputtering, with the use of TiO2 target at a pressure of 3 × 10−2mbars. In order to assess the effects of Ti hybrid oxidation, microscopic (AFM, SEM, TEM-EFTEM), spectroscopic (GDOS), and X-ray tests (XRD, sin2Ψ) were performed. The coatings formed had structure, with a Tiα(O) diffusion zone and a TiO2 rutile and anatase oxide zone deposited on the substrate. It was concluded that hybrid method of duplex coatings formation (FADT + PVD) leads to reducing oxide layer defects after fluidized bed heat treatment and to generating a tight homogeneous layer with a favorable state of stress, which results in improving the bio-compatibility of the generated substrate, important from the biomedical applications point of view.
