Advances in Biomedical Metallic Materials

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Metals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 10712

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
Interests: biomedical alloys; powder metallurgy; titanium alloys; surface treatments; corrosion and tribocorrosion; biocompatibility
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Guest Editor
Department of Materials Engineering (DEMa), Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos - SP, Brazil
Interests: surface treatments; metallurgy; beta titanium alloys; microstructural characterization; scanning (SEM)/transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The application of metallic materials in orthopaedics and dentistry has gained great importance in recent years due to their excellent structural properties and the toughness of metals and alloys. Although it is true that these can present cytotoxicity problems due to the release of metallic ions, new advanced alloys have been investigated in order to minimize this effect. In addition, surface treatments are carried out in which the interaction between the alloys and the biological material is modified and optimized, increasing osseointegration and improving biocompatibility with tissues. However, one of the main advances is the ability to obtain customized parts using additive manufacturing techniques, the future prospects of which are excellent. However, it is very important to continue researching not only the effect of metals and alloys on biological tissue but also of tissues on metal surfaces, and in this way the evaluation of their resistance to corrosion and tribocorrosion is essential. Additionally, the mechanical compatibility with biological tissue is very important, together with the need to explore and develop new alloy compositions that are more biocompatible both chemically and mechanically (i.e., lower elastic modulus), which would reduce the stress-shielding effect and therefore bone resorption.

This Special Issue aims to cover the most innovative topics and strategies currently being followed in the development of alloys and processes for biomedical applications. For this reason, the development of new alloys or the application of new surface modification treatments is quite important. This includes the development of processes or the improvement of technologies that, in addition to casting and thermomechanical processing, include conventional powder technology and additive manufacturing. Special attention will be paid to the control of the microstructure and its relationship with the properties, in particular studies of fatigue properties, oxidation, corrosion resistance, and wear behaviour.

Prof. Dr. Vicente Amigó Borrás
Dr. Conrado Ramos Moreira Afonso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Advanced metallic alloys
  • Porous metals
  • Functionally graded material (FGM)
  • Additive manufacturing: direct techniques
  • Post-processing: heat treatments
  • Surface treatments and coatings
  • Mechanical properties
  • Fatigue behaviour
  • Corrosion and tribocorrosion
  • Biocompatibility
  • Orthopaedics applications
  • Dental applications

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 9963 KiB  
Article
Study of Electrochemical and Biological Characteristics of As-Cast Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta System Based on Its Microstructure
by Mariana Correa Rossi, Beatriz Navarro Ventura, Lara Milián, Angel Vicente Escuder and Vicente Amigó Borrás
Metals 2022, 12(3), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12030476 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1767
Abstract
The quaternary Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta (TNZT) alloy was successfully cast-fabricated with the objective to be used in the medical field. Samples’ microstructure was compared to CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V (control samples) and related to corrosion, ion release and biological properties. As-cast TNZT was formed with large [...] Read more.
The quaternary Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta (TNZT) alloy was successfully cast-fabricated with the objective to be used in the medical field. Samples’ microstructure was compared to CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V (control samples) and related to corrosion, ion release and biological properties. As-cast TNZT was formed with large β grain sizes (285 µm) compared to the ultrafine α grain sizes of CP-Ti (11 µm) and the α + β ultrafine grain sizes of 1.45 µm and 0.74 µm. Hardness and flexural elastic moduli (94 HV and 43 GPa) came close to the biological structures, such as dentin and enamel values. The ion release mechanism of as-cast TNZT was significantly lesser than CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V, which can be related to the difference in samples’ grain sizes and chemical compositions. However, the corrosion rate was higher than for the control samples; this way offers corrosion properties inferior with respect to the properties obtained in the reference materials. Biological assays demonstrated that the two-cell (hDPSCs and MG-63) lineage studied presented good adhesion and capability to differentiate in bone cells on the as-cast TNZT surface, and no cytotoxicity effects were found. Details and reasons based on samples’ microstructure are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomedical Metallic Materials)
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14 pages, 6120 KiB  
Article
Silver-Doped Anodic Alumina with Antimicrobial Properties—Synthesis and Characterization
by Denitsa Kiradzhiyska, Nikolina Milcheva, Tsvetelina Batsalova, Balik Dzhambazov, Nikolay Zahariev and Rositsa Mancheva
Metals 2022, 12(3), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12030474 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1830
Abstract
The incessant need for the elimination of pathogenic viruses and multi-drug resistant bacteria has been a critical issue during recent decades, and requires the creation of new antimicrobial materials. Our study describes the production of silver-modified anodic alumina substrates by two methods, and [...] Read more.
The incessant need for the elimination of pathogenic viruses and multi-drug resistant bacteria has been a critical issue during recent decades, and requires the creation of new antimicrobial materials. Our study describes the production of silver-modified anodic alumina substrates by two methods, and estimation of their bactericidal activity. Aluminum oxide coatings were obtained via an anodization process of low-purity aluminum in an acidic bath for different time periods. The realization of silver infiltration into the pores of the alumina layers was carried out employing two different routes—electrochemical deposition, and in situ thermal reduction. The obtained films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Changes in the surface morphology and thickness of the initial oxide structures after hot water sealing procedure were observed. The presence of silver inside the pores of the alumina layers was also assessed. It was found that silver electrodeposition resulted in greater surface saturation. Large silver accumulations were observed on the thinner anodic films which experienced electroplating for longer time periods. Finally, the antibacterial activity of the modified alumina structures against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus) bacteria was evaluated. The results demonstrate that silver deposits acquired by the electrochemical technique improve the bactericidal efficiency of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layers. On the contrary, alumina structures with chemically embedded Ag particles did not show significant antibacterial properties. Overall, the present studies demonstrate that biological activity of silver-doped AAO films depends on the techniques used for their modification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomedical Metallic Materials)
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12 pages, 2604 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Preliminary Evaluation of Silver-Modified Anodic Alumina for Biomedical Applications
by Denitsa Kiradzhiyska, Nikolina Milcheva, Rositsa Mancheva, Tsvetelina Batsalova, Balik Dzhambazov and Nikolay Zahariev
Metals 2022, 12(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12010051 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1808
Abstract
The present study reports a specific method for preparation of silver-modified anodic alumina substrates intended for biomaterial applications. Al2O3 coatings were obtained by anodization of technically pure aluminum alloy in sulfuric acid electrolyte. Silver deposition into the pores of the [...] Read more.
The present study reports a specific method for preparation of silver-modified anodic alumina substrates intended for biomaterial applications. Al2O3 coatings were obtained by anodization of technically pure aluminum alloy in sulfuric acid electrolyte. Silver deposition into the pores of the anodic structures was carried out employing in situ thermal reduction for different time periods. The obtained coatings were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), potentiodynamic scanning after 168 h in 3.5% NaCl solution and bioassays with human fibroblast and NIH/3T3 cell lines. The modified alumina substrates demonstrated better biocompatibility compared to the control anodic Al2O3 pads indicated by increased percent cell survival following in vitro culture with human and mouse fibroblasts. The Ag-deposition time did not affect considerably the biocompatibility of the investigated anodic layers. SEM analyses indicated that mouse NIH/3T3 cells and human fibroblasts adhere to the silver-coated alumina substrates retaining normal morphology and ability to form cell monolayer. Therefore, the present studies demonstrate that silver coating of anodic alumina substrates improves their biocompatibility and their eventual biomedical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomedical Metallic Materials)
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11 pages, 3957 KiB  
Article
Anodized Biomedical Stainless-Steel Mini-Implant for Rapid Recovery in a Rabbit Model
by Yung-Chieh Cho, Wei-Chiang Hung, Wen-Chien Lan, Takashi Saito, Bai-Hung Huang, Chen-Han Lee, Hsin-Yu Tsai, Mao-Suan Huang and Keng-Liang Ou
Metals 2021, 11(10), 1575; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11101575 - 3 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1959
Abstract
The study aimed to analyze the recovery period of the anodized 316L biomedical stainless steel (BSS) mini-implant through its implantation on femur of rabbit model. The 316L BSS mini-implant was modified by an electrochemical anodization approach with different voltages. The anodized samples were [...] Read more.
The study aimed to analyze the recovery period of the anodized 316L biomedical stainless steel (BSS) mini-implant through its implantation on femur of rabbit model. The 316L BSS mini-implant was modified by an electrochemical anodization approach with different voltages. The anodized samples were characterized via field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The biocompatibility was assessed by cell culture assay. The anodized mini-implant was implanted on rabbit’s femur then evaluated histologically after 4 and 8 weeks. Analytical results indicated that the topography of the anodized mini-implant at 5 V for 5 min consisted of a dual (micro/nano) porous structure. Oxide film of Cr2O3 was formed on the surface of anodized mini-implant after anodizing with 5 V for 5 min. In vitro cell culture assay revealed that fibroblast cells (NIH-3T3) on the anodized samples were more firmly attached as compared with the control sample. Moreover, histological analysis demonstrated that the anodized mini-implant improved bone recovering at 4 weeks after implantation. Thus, this study suggests that the anodized 316L BSS mini-implant could be a potential choice as anchorage device for effective and efficient orthodontic treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomedical Metallic Materials)
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9 pages, 2488 KiB  
Article
Surface Properties and Biocompatibility of Anodized Titanium with a Potential Pretreatment for Biomedical Applications
by Bai-Hung Huang, Yi-Jung Lu, Wen-Chien Lan, Muhammad Ruslin, Hung-Yang Lin, Keng-Liang Ou, Takashi Saito, Hsin-Yu Tsai, Chen-Han Lee, Yung-Chieh Cho, Tzu-Sen Yang, Chung-Ming Liu and Ping-Jen Hou
Metals 2021, 11(7), 1090; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11071090 - 8 Jul 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2457
Abstract
The effects of anodized titanium (Ti) with a potential hydrogen fluoride (HF) acid pretreatment through cathodization on the formation of nano-porous Ti dioxide (TiO2) layer were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffractometer, and contact angle goniometer. The [...] Read more.
The effects of anodized titanium (Ti) with a potential hydrogen fluoride (HF) acid pretreatment through cathodization on the formation of nano-porous Ti dioxide (TiO2) layer were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffractometer, and contact angle goniometer. The biocompatibility was determined by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. Analytical results found that a well-aligned nano-porous structure was formed on the anodized Ti surface with HF pretreatment concentration above 0.5%. Microstructure of the nano-porous Ti dioxide surface generated by anodization with HF pretreatment was composed of anatase and rutile phases, while the anodized Ti sample with HF pretreatment concentration of 0.5% presented excellent hydrophilicity surface. An in-vitro biocompatibility also indicated that osteoblast cells grown on the surface of the anodized Ti sample with HF pretreatment increased with the increase of culture time. The filopodia of osteoblast cells not only adhered flat, but also tightly grabbed the nano-porous structure for promoting cell adhesion and proliferation. Therefore, the anodized Ti with HF pretreatment can form a functionalized surface with great biocompatibility for biomedical applications, particularly for dental implants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomedical Metallic Materials)
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