Scale-Resolved Electrochemical Surface Structuring of Titanium for Biological Applications

Scale-resolved electrochemical surface structuring of titanium leads to well-defined topographies at the micrometer and nanometer scales, which are of interest for biomedical applications. Electrochemical procedures are described that lead to improved reproducibility and more precise shape control in through-mask electrochemical micromachining of titanium. Nanostructuring of plane or micromachined titanium surfaces is achieved by porous anodization in sulfuric or phosphoric acid electrolytes or by chemical etching. The described methods are used to produce model surfaces for the study of the role of surface topography on the interactions of bone-like cells with implants. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.