Effect of Surface Pretreatment on Corrosion Resistance of Anodically Oxidized Ti6Al7Nb Alloy

Results presented in the paper are an attempt of defining the influence of selected preliminary treatments of surface on the final biocompatibility of anodized Ti6Al7Nb alloy. The anodization process was preceded by combination of different surface modification treatments including grinding, vibration machining, mechanical polishing, sandblasting and electropolishing. Steam sterilization was the final surface modification treatment. Range of research included: surface roughness tests, crevice and pitting corrosion investigations in Ringer's solution, determination of concentration of metallic elements which penetrated to the solution after 28 days exposition and microscopic observations of the specimens surface. The results of research have shown significant influence of preliminary methods of surface preparing which precede anodization. Preliminary preparing of the surface to anodization, as a multistage process, can not be understood solely as a single treatment which directly preceded anodization process. In fact, all the earlier treatments of surface modification before anodization have influence on corrosion resistance.