0000000000073102

AUTHOR

Karin Schenk-meuser

ESCA-Analysis of tin compounds on the surface of hydroxyapatite

The formation of tin compounds on the surface of hydroxyapatite, the main crystalline component of teeth, is discussed controversially. SnF2 is used as an anticaries agent in toothpaste preparations. Pure hydroxyapatite (HAP) is treated with extracts of commercially available toothpastes containing tin fluoride and analyzed by electron spectroscopy (ESCA). Survey spectra and depth profiles are recorded. The chemical shifts measured for the HAP samples are compared with those of standard tin compounds. It is concluded that on the surface of hydroxyapatite a mixture of two-valent fluoro-phosphato compounds is formed. SnO is not found in the mixture.

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Switching of Polymer Brushes

Polymer coatings of brushlike monolayers composed of two different polymers, polystyrene and poly(2-vinylpyridine), are grafted by radical polymerization on the surface of silicon wafers. Thickness, grafting density, molecular weight of grafted chains, and the composition of the coatings were regulated by grafting time, monomer concentration, and additional initiator in solution. A typical dry film thickness is between 10 and 100 nm, and the molecular weights of the components range from 100 to 300 kg/mol. The fabricated coatings turn out to be sensitive to the composition of the environment. For instance after exposition to toluene the layer becomes hydrophobic and the top of the layer is …

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Influence of titanium-vanadium alloys on cell morphology: electron microscopy and ESCA studies

Titanium and its alloys provide optimum metallurgical properties for implants. The formation of an oxide layer favours compatibility with the adjacent hard and soft tissues. Research focuses on further optimizing the passive layer, particularly with respect to minimizing metal ion migration into the tissues. The present study concentrates on two alloys (Ti6A14V and Til.5A125V) coated with oxide layers generated by different techniques: thermal oxidation, anodic oxidation and sol-gel treatment. Only thermal oxidation fails to reduce surface and subsurface concentrations of vanadium, whereas other treatments avoid the element in the outermost surface areas of the alloys. Additionally, the the…

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Interactions between cells and titanium surfaces.

The interaction between cells and implant materials is determined by the surface structure and/or surface composition of the material. In the past years, titanium and titanium alloys have proved their superiority over other implant materials in many clinical applications. This predominant behaviour is caused by a dense passive oxide layer which forms within milliseconds in oxidizing media. Titanium dioxide layers of 100 nm thickness were produced on the surface of cp-titanium grade 2, and on an experimental alloy of high vanadium content (Ti1.5Al25V) as a harmful control. The layers were produced by thermal and anodic oxidation and by coating by means of the sol-gel process. The resulting o…

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XPS analysis of sol-gel-generated mixed-oxide layers for biomedical application

The excellent biocompatibility of titanium and its alloys is associated with the properties of their dense TiO2 layer on the surface. The adsorption of proteins of the body fluid to implant surfaces depends on the properties of the surface oxide layer, especially the electronic structure. Therefore, tailoring of the oxide layer is a method for influencing protein adsorption. In this study, titanium platelets are coated by the sol–gel process with mixed oxides containing the biocompatible elements Ti, Nb, Zr and Ta. In order to verify the composition of the produced oxide layer, which can differ from the adjusted precursor composition in the sol because of different reactivities of the precu…

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