INFLUENCE OF SURFACE MODIFICATION ON ROUGHNESS AND WETTABILITY OF TITANIUM FOR POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS IN BIOMEDICINE

Abstract

The surface properties of titanium (Ti) play an important role in osseointegration, enhancing durability, reducing inflammation and therefore improving the application of Ti implants. This study focuses on a three-step chemical etching process using acid such as (H₂O₂: HCl), (HF: HNO₃), and CH₃COOH with controlled concentrations and processing times to modify the surface roughness and improve the wettability of Ti. Surface morphology of Ti was measured by a scanning electron microscope, surface roughness was examined by an optical microscope. The wettability of Ti was studied by a contact angle measurement. The results revealed that surface roughness of Ti increases from 1.54 µm to 10.09 µm with high uniformity, while the contact angle decreased from 68.9° to 51.8°. EDS analysis also confirmed the purity of the surface, free from contaminants. These results suggest that the current surface treatment is suitable for the requirement of Ti for potential applications  in biomedical implants.