Nanostructured surface coatings for titanium alloy implants

Surface properties of titanium implants are key factors for rapid and stable bone tissue integration. So, in order to promote the osseointegration of implants, various surface treatments have been proposed. The objective of these surface treatments is to improve protein adsorption, cell adhesion and differentiation, and consequently, the tissue integration of titanium implants. In this paper, we propose to describe and compare the different strategies available in the literature to produce micro- and nanostructured surfaces on titanium, especially the recent results using electrochemical anodization. Anodization is a cost-effective process that produces nanostructures based on the electrolytic growth of columnar titanium oxide layers. By mastering the electrolyte composition and voltage, a regular array of pores with controlled diameters ranging from 15 to 200 nm are easily produced. Then we will present the latest results on the osteointegration of the surface composed anodized titania nanotubes.