X-ray Computed Tomographic Investigation of the Porosity and Morphology of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Coatings.

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is of increasing interest for the formation of ceramic coatings on metals for applications that require diverse coating properties, such as wear and corrosion resistance, low thermal conductivity, and biocompatibility. Porosity in the coatings can have an important impact on the coating performance. However, the quantification of the porosity in coatings can be difficult due to the wide range of pore sizes and the complexity of the coating morphology. In this work, a PEO coating formed on titanium is examined using high resolution X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT). The observations are validated by comparisons of surface views and cross-sectional views of specific coating features obtained using X-ray CT and scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray CT technique is shown to be capable of resolving pores with volumes of at least 6 µm(3). Furthermore, the shapes of large pores are revealed and a correlation is demonstrated between the locations of the pores, nodules on the coating surface, and depressions in the titanium substrate. The locations and morphologies of the pores, which constitute 5.7% of the coating volume, indicate that they are generated by release of oxygen gas from the molten coating.

In vitro evaluation of cell proliferation and collagen synthesis on titanium following plasma electrolytic oxidation.

Titania-based coatings produced by plasma electrolytic oxidation are being investigated as bioactive surfaces for titanium implants. In this study, plasma electrolytic oxidation was performed in calcium- and phosphorus-based electrolytes under DC conditions, resulting in coatings of thickness of approximately 8-15 mum. Coating morphologies, microstructures, and compositions were examined by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, and electron probe microanalysis. The coatings revealed a cratered morphology, with incorporated calcium and phosphorus species. Proliferation rates of primary human osteoblasts cells on the coatings were up to approximately 37% faster than those for uncoated titanium and 316L stainless steel reference materials. Further, the coatings assisted cell adhesion and generation and anchorage of collagen. The amount of collagen was upto approximately 2.4 times greater than for the reference substrates. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010.

Detection of negative ions in glow discharge mass spectrometry for analysis of solid specimens.

A new method is presented for elemental and molecular analysis of halogen-containing samples by glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry, consisting of detection of negative ions from a pulsed RF glow discharge in argon. Analyte signals are mainly extracted from the afterglow regime of the discharge, where the cross section for electron attachment increases. The formation of negative ions from sputtering of metals and metal oxides is compared with that for positive ions. It is shown that the negative ion signals of F(-) and TaO(2)F(-) are enhanced relative to positive ion signals and can be used to study the distribution of a tantalum fluoride layer within the anodized tantala layer. Further, comparison is made with data obtained using glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy, where elemental fluorine can only be detected using a neon plasma. The ionization mechanisms responsible for the formation of negative ions in glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry are briefly discussed.