Comparison of the cytotoxicity of molybdenum as powder and as alloying element in a niobium-molybdenum alloy.

Commercially pure metal niobium (c.p. Nb) as well as niobium-molybdenum (Nb-Mo) alloys were produced following several powder metallurgical routes.

Characterization of microblasted and reactive ion etched surfaces on the commercially pure metals niobium, tantalum and titanium.

In surface-roughened metallic implant materials, the topography, chemistry and energy of the surfaces play an important role for the cell and tissue attachment. The highly reactive commercially pure metals niobium, tantalum and titanium were analysed after microblasting (with Al2O3 powder and consecutive shot-peening with ZrSiO2), and after additional reactive ion etching (RIE, with CF4). Scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and surface roughness measurements showed, for all microblasted surfaces, a heterogeneous roughening (Ra about 0.