122
P. Hameed et al.
due to its oxide layer stability compared to other materials and hence, other surface
modifications need to be explored for other metallic implant materials.
3.6 Laser Surface Modification
Laser surface modification is yet another field of research growing rapidly in
supporting the development of safe and successful medical devices with micron,
submicron and nano surface modifications. Apart from the development of laserbased bulk metallic materials for biomedical applications, laser is currently been
extensively used in imparting structural modification on the surface of the implant,
without compromising the properties of the bulk material. With the help of nano and
femtosecond laser, the development of sub-micron features can be achieved on the
implant surface, improving the surface energy, and modifiying protein interaction,
and cellular attachment. Lithography technique has been used to imprint shark skin
structure on the surface of titanium implant materials to enhance the antibacterial
activity [111, 112], and the currently researchers are trying to develop this costeffectively with the help of Femto and picosecond lasers. Several works [107–114]
on the improved in-vitro and in-vivo characteristics of sub-micron featured lasertreated surfaces has been reported, and hence, laser treatment is another promising
area to look up for nano surface modification.
3.7 Hydrothermal Treatment
Hydrothermal treatment is a very simple process in which the surface modification
takes place in the presence of an alkaline or acidic solution under pressure and
temperature (Fig. 5). In this process, an alkaline/acidic solution containing different
salts that can help in the development of passive oxide films on titanium substrates.
Substrates when subjected to pressure using a Teflon lined stainless steel autoclave
and maintained in a temperature-controlled environment react with the solution and
that leads to the formation of different morphology of oxides, namely nanoflowers
[5], rods and branched nanostructures on the surface. These structures tend to have
a more significant impact on cell proliferation and antibacterial activity than the
untreated titanium substrate. Several governing parameters control the end produced
nanostructures, namely concentration, pH of the solution, pressure, temperature, and
exposure time [115, 116].
The nanosurface mentioned above modifications are widely researched, and apart
from these, several other process routes are being studied to develop nano modified
surface structures, which will help promote osteogenesis and antibacterial efficacy.
Thus, nanofibers and nanosurfaces are the key research areas that can be used as the
right tool to tailor the biomaterials and attain maximum efficiency.
P. Hameed et al.
due to its oxide layer stability compared to other materials and hence, other surface
modifications need to be explored for other metallic implant materials.
3.6 Laser Surface Modification
Laser surface modification is yet another field of research growing rapidly in
supporting the development of safe and successful medical devices with micron,
submicron and nano surface modifications. Apart from the development of laserbased bulk metallic materials for biomedical applications, laser is currently been
extensively used in imparting structural modification on the surface of the implant,
without compromising the properties of the bulk material. With the help of nano and
femtosecond laser, the development of sub-micron features can be achieved on the
implant surface, improving the surface energy, and modifiying protein interaction,
and cellular attachment. Lithography technique has been used to imprint shark skin
structure on the surface of titanium implant materials to enhance the antibacterial
activity [111, 112], and the currently researchers are trying to develop this costeffectively with the help of Femto and picosecond lasers. Several works [107–114]
on the improved in-vitro and in-vivo characteristics of sub-micron featured lasertreated surfaces has been reported, and hence, laser treatment is another promising
area to look up for nano surface modification.
3.7 Hydrothermal Treatment
Hydrothermal treatment is a very simple process in which the surface modification
takes place in the presence of an alkaline or acidic solution under pressure and
temperature (Fig. 5). In this process, an alkaline/acidic solution containing different
salts that can help in the development of passive oxide films on titanium substrates.
Substrates when subjected to pressure using a Teflon lined stainless steel autoclave
and maintained in a temperature-controlled environment react with the solution and
that leads to the formation of different morphology of oxides, namely nanoflowers
[5], rods and branched nanostructures on the surface. These structures tend to have
a more significant impact on cell proliferation and antibacterial activity than the
untreated titanium substrate. Several governing parameters control the end produced
nanostructures, namely concentration, pH of the solution, pressure, temperature, and
exposure time [115, 116].
The nanosurface mentioned above modifications are widely researched, and apart
from these, several other process routes are being studied to develop nano modified
surface structures, which will help promote osteogenesis and antibacterial efficacy.
Thus, nanofibers and nanosurfaces are the key research areas that can be used as the
right tool to tailor the biomaterials and attain maximum efficiency.