Titanium-Zirconium Implant Surface Etching Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving a controlled and phase-oriented surface etching for titanium-zirconium dental implants to replicate the SLA® topography is challenging due to their duplex microstructure, leading to residual sandblasting material and impurities, which affect osseointegration.
Innovation Solution
A process involving sandblasting followed by etching with a hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and water solution at elevated temperatures, with extended etching duration to remove residual sandblasting material and create a surface topography similar to SLA® treated titanium implants, while using a pickling solution to remove the native oxide layer and thermal shock for particle removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sandblasting is performed on titanium-zirconium alloy to create surface topography, then surface roughness is improved for osseointegration, but residual sandblasting material and impurities remain on the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The surface treatment process is divided into distinct sequential steps: sandblasting to create macro-roughness, pickling to remove oxide layer and particles, and chemical etching to create micro-roughness. This segmentation allows each step to address specific requirements while removing contaminants from previous steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The pickling solution specifically extracts and removes residual sandblasting material and native oxide layer from the surface before etching. This extraction step eliminates harmful impurities while preserving the beneficial macro-roughness created by sandblasting.
2Manufacturing precision
If chemical etching is performed to create osseointegrative topography, then surface roughness is improved, but the duplex microstructure causes uncontrolled etching with different dissolution rates of alpha and beta phases
Solution Approach 1:
Pickling is performed as a preliminary action before chemical etching to remove the native oxide layer. This prepares the surface for controlled etching by eliminating the oxide barrier that would otherwise cause uncontrolled dissolution and irregular topography formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The etching process parameters (solution composition, temperature, time) are optimized to achieve controlled dissolution of the titanium-zirconium alloy. The pickling step modifies the surface state by removing oxide, enabling subsequent controlled etching despite the duplex microstructure.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If extended etching duration is used to remove residual sandblasting material, then surface cleanliness is improved, but process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Pickling is performed as a preliminary cleaning action before etching to remove residual sandblasting material and oxide layer. This preliminary removal reduces the burden on the subsequent etching step, allowing adequate cleaning without excessive etching time.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is segmented between pickling (removes particles and oxide) and etching (creates topography and further cleans). This segmentation allows each process to be optimized for its specific function, achieving surface cleanliness efficiently.
4Manufacturing precision
If pickling solution is used to remove native oxide layer, then surface preparation for etching is improved, but additional process steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The pickling step combines multiple functions: removal of native oxide layer, elimination of residual sandblasting material, and surface activation for subsequent etching. This merging of functions into a single step justifies the added process step by achieving multiple objectives simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Pickling serves as a necessary preliminary action that prepares the surface for controlled etching by removing the oxide barrier. Without this preliminary step, etching would be uncontrolled and produce irregular topography, making the additional step essential for achieving the desired surface quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process efficiently removes residual sandblasting material, achieving a surface topography that closely resembles SLA® on titanium implants, enhancing osseointegration and mechanical stability with reduced impurities, thus improving the osseointegrative properties of titanium-zirconium alloys.
Implementation Method 1
at least partially removing the native oxide layer formed on the titanium-zirconium alloy by treating the implant with a pickling solution
Implementation Method 2
etching the sandblasted primary body with an etching solution comprising hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and water, the temperature of the etching solution during the entire etching being higher than 80°C
Implementation Method 3
thermal shock for particle removal
Implementation Method 4
sandblasting the primary body
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a body having an osseointegrative topography formed on its surface. The process comprises the steps of A) providing a primary body made of a titanium-zirconium alloy containing 13 to 17 wt-% of zirconium, the alloy further containing iron as an alloy component in an amount of less than 0.05 wt-%, B) sandblasting the primary body, C) at least partially removing the native oxide layer formed on the titanium-zirconium alloy by treating the implant with a pickling solution comprising HF and HNO3; and D) etching the sandblasted primary body with an etching solution comprising hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and water.