Tribocorrosion Behavior in Artificial Saliva of PEO Coatings on Commercially Pure Titanium
摘要
Titanium and its alloys are widely used in dental implant applications because of its favorable combination of mechanical and biofunctional properties. However, despite its excellent corrosion resistance, titanium exhibits poor wear and friction performance under sliding contact conditions. Furthermore, the oral environment can lead to corrosion-related issues that compromise the long-term integrity of implants. The combined effects of wear and corrosion, known as tribocorrosion, can degrade the implant surface, releasing ions and particles that pose potential health risks. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings offer a promising approach to enhance the tribocorrosion behavior of titanium by forming a hard and stable oxide layer. This layer improves the resistance to abrasion and reduces the interaction between the titanium substrate and corrosive agents in the oral environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tribocorrosion performance of PEO-coated commercially pure titanium in artificial saliva using electrochemical techniques and a ball-on-disk setup. The individual and synergistic effects of wear and corrosion were evaluated and compared with those of the uncoated samples. The results demonstrated superior performance of the PEO-coated titanium substrates under combined wear and corrosion conditions, highlighting the potential for improving the durability of dental implants in bio-tribocorrosion environments.