SANDOVAL AMADOR, ANDERSON ANDRES, Castaneda-Miranda, Ana G. , Traslavina, Lina , Nova, Alejandra , Leon, Adan Y. , Pena-Ballesteros, Dario Y.
No
Appl. Phys. A-Mater. Sci. Process.
Article
Científica
2
2
01/06/2026
1,78219E+12
2-s2.0-105040739379
Ti6Al4V alloy is widely used in orthopedic implants due to its excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, controlled modification of its surface remains essential to optimize interfacial performance under physiological conditions. In this study, industrial continuous-wave CO2 laser texturing (10.6 mu m wavelength, 32 W power, 20 mm/s scanning speed, 1000 dpi resolution, 500 Hz frequency; energy density approximate to 0.0508 J/mm & sup2;) was applied to Ti6Al4V ELI discs to generate circular patterns with diameters of 100 mu m (P100), 500 mu m (P500), and 800 mu m (P800), while maintaining constant center-to-center spacing. This approach enabled systematic control of the modified surface fraction (0.37%, 9.2%, and 23.5%, respectively), allowing direct correlation between geometric design and functional response. Surface morphology, chemical composition, phase structure, wettability, and electrochemical behavior were evaluated in Hank's balanced salt solution at 37 degrees C. X-ray diffraction confirmed preservation of the alpha/beta phase structure after laser processing, while EDS revealed localized oxygen enrichment and residual Mo- and Si-containing compounds associated with the marking process. Increasing the textured area fraction significantly enhanced hydrophilicity, reducing the contact angle from 56.7 degrees (untreated) to 28.8 degrees (P800). However, corrosion current density increased with texture size, indicating a functional trade-off between wettability and electrochemical stability. The results demonstrate that industrial CO2 laser texturing provides a scalable strategy for tuning interfacial properties of Ti6Al4V alloys, highlighting the importance of controlled geometric modification in balancing biological compatibility and long-term durability.
Ti6Al4V alloy; CO2 laser texturing; Surface engineering; Wettability enhancement; Corrosion behavior; Orthopedic implants