LAUSR

The effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) pre-treatments on corrosion behavior of titanium in simulated body fluid (SBF) is investigated. Three pre-treatments are compared, using silicate, calcium phosphate and mixed silicate and calcium phosphate (1:1) electrolytes, respectively. The resultant coatings in different compositions and morphologies were examined by high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive spectrometer and x-ray diffraction. The PEO-treated specimens revealed distribution of coating species, mainly the titanium-rich inner coating region. However, findings show highly localized variations in composition within their crystalline structures, due to the melting and rapid solidification of the coating material in three different electrolytes. Corrosion behavior of the coatings was also examined in SBF at 37 °C by potentiodynamic polarization, revealing an improvement in corrosion resistance for mixed electrolyte compared to silicate and calcium phosphate electrolytes.