Effect of the Thickness of TiO(2) Films on the Structure and Corrosion Behavior of Mg-Based Alloys

This article discusses the influence of the thickness of TiO(2) films deposited onto MgCa2Zn1 and MgCa2Zn1Gd3 alloys on their structure, corrosion behavior, and cytotoxicity. TiO(2) layers (about 200 and 400 nm thick) were applied using magnetron sputtering, which provides strong substrate adhesion. Such titanium dioxide films have many attractive properties, such as high corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. These oxide coatings stimulate osteoblast adhesion and proliferation compared to alloys without the protective films. Microscopic observations show that the TiO(2) surface morphology is homogeneous, the grains have a spherical shape (with dimensions from 18 to 160 nm). Based on XRD analysis, it can be stated that all the studied TiO(2) layers have an anatase structure. The results of electrochemical and immersion studies, performed in Ringer’s solution at 37 °C, show that the corrosion resistance of the studied TiO(2) does not always increase proportionally with the thickness of the films. This is a result of grain refinement and differences in the density of the titanium dioxide films applied using the physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique. The results of 24 h immersion tests indicate that the lowest volume of evolved H(2) (5.92 mL/cm(2)) was with the 400 nm thick film deposited onto the MgCa2Zn1Gd3 alloy. This result is in agreement with the good biocompatibility of this TiO(2) film, confirmed by cytotoxicity tests.