Improvement of bioactivity of H₂O₂/TaCl₅-treated titanium after subsequent heat treatments

Commercially pure titanium was treated with a H₂O₂/3 mM TaCl₅ solution at 80°C for various periods and a titania gel layer was formed on the surface. This gel remained amorphous when heating for 1 h below 200°C and transformed to anatase after heating between 300°and 600°C. The anatase titania gel layers were found to be bioactive as to deposit carbonate ion- incorporated apatite within 1 day of immersion in the Kokubo solution, whereas the amorphous layers did not deposit apatite within 7 days. The apatite particles were found to nucleate preferentially inside the cracks prevailing in the thicker gel layers of 1-h chemically treated specimens. After immersing for 2 days, the titanium specimens were almost completely covered by apatite. Elimination of peroxide radicals from the titania gel and formation of anatase upon subsequent heating are considered to be responsible for the enhanced ability of apatite deposition. (C) 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.