2025 Volume 66 Issue 5 Pages 622-628
Treatment of severe bone fractures is possible using Ti alloy-based artificial bone. However, infections caused by bacterial proliferation at the replacement material remain a critical issue. This study aimed to add antibacterial properties to Ti by adding Cu, which was recognized for its antibacterial effects. Ti-(5, 8, 10 at%)Cu alloys were fabricated, and heat treatments were performed at temperatures ranging from 300 to 1000°C in the Ar and Ar-2% O2 gas atmospheres. The effect of heating temperature and atmospheres on the distribution of Cu at the sample’s surface was investigated. Cu distribution was evaluated using XPS depth profiles. The Cu concentration at the surface of the as-polished sample and the heat-treated sample at temperatures above 700°C were lower than the alloy composition. The enrichment of Cu at the surface of the oxide layer formed on the sample’s surface is achievable through the heat treatments in an Ar or Ar-2% O2 atmosphere at 300 to 500°C. The appropriate heat treatments avoid the formation of the Cu-depleted layer on the surface of Ti-Cu alloys, expecting to maintain the antimicrobial properties of the alloy.
