The objects of this research are commercially pure titanium surfaces, with multifunctional behavior, obtained through a chemical treatment and biological functionalization. The explored surfaces are of interest for dental implants, in contact with bone, where several simultaneous and synergistic actions are needed, in order to get a fast and effective osseointegration. The here described modified surfaces present a layer of titanium oxide, thicker than the native one, with a multi-scale surface topography (a surface roughness on the nano scale, which can be overlapped to a micro or macro roughness of the substrate) and a high density of OH groups, that increase surface wettability, induce a bioactive behavior (hydroxyapatite precipitation in simulated body fluid) and make possible the grafting of biomolecules (alkaline phosphatase, ALP, in the present research). The surface oxide is an efficient barrier against corrosion, with passive behavior both with and without application of an external voltage.
Keywords: Bioactivity; Dental implants; Functionalization; Nanostructure; Titanium.
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