In situ electrochemical study of the interaction of cells with thermally treated titanium.

Micromotion and fretting wear between bone and Ti-based alloys in stem and dental implants breaks the passive film and exposes the metal to the action of the complex surrounding medium, generating substantial amounts of debris and continuous Ti ion release. In this work, oxidation treatments at low temperatures (277 °C, 5 h) have been used to promote the formation of wear-corrosion resistant titanium oxide on the Ti surface. The objective of this paper has been the study of the influence of live cells on the protectiveness of the oxide formed at these low temperatures.