Ti alloys are widely used in severe corrosion environments where corrosion resistance is required, as biomedical industry. Additive manufacturing produces customized and complexes products. Laser texturing is a process of structuring surfaces using laser pulses, that allows the creation of periodic patterns on the surfaces of materials, to modify them, functionally and/or aesthetically, in a precise and direct way, allowing parameterization, versatility and repeatability. Consequently, bringing together metallic additive manufacturing with laser texturing process could be an alternative to obtain parts with functional hydrophilic surfaces, which improves osteointegration and reduces bacteria adhesion. Thus, the aim of this work is to characterize and evaluate the influence of LASER parameters in as-built additive manufactured potential biomedical components. Ti6Al4V specimens were produced by L-PBF, using Ytterbium LASER with maximum power of 500 W, varying the laser power from 61 W to 244 W. The samples were characterized by SEM, Microhardness, and wettability. After that, some specimens were Laser textured using an Ytterbium optical fiber laser, and then evaluated by SEM, wettability, and 3D roughness. It was possible to observe that the surface of all studied samples was flattened after Laser texturing in comparison with as-built condition, due to the melting of the powder particles.

In this study, the corrosion protection provided by films of self-assembled molecules on the AA 2024-T3 aluminum alloy has been evaluated by electrochemical and non electrochemical techniques. The film was obtained by immersion of this alloy samples in a solution of 90 mg L-1 alkane-diphosphonate at 50 °C for 5 minutes. Chromating conversion treatment with trivalent or hexavalent chromium was carried out by immersion of AA 2024-T3 alloy samples for 2 minutes in a 20% (v/v) solution of 650 Chromical TCP (SurTec) at 40 °C. Electrochemical characterization was performed by measurements of the open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization curves (PPC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a solution of 0.5 mol L-1 sodium sulfate buffered with a solution of biphthalate potassium (0.1 mol L-1) and sodium hydroxide (0.1 mol L-1) as the electrolyte. SAM films obtained were analysed by infrared spectroscopy and SAM was found in surface. Surface observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the trivalent chromium layers ere deposited on metal surface. The results show that the surface treatment with self-assembled molecules provides protection against corrosion of the AA 2024-T3 aluminum alloy.

Austenitic stainless steels, titanium and cobalt alloys are widely used as biomaterials. However, new medical devices require innovative materials with specific properties, depending on their application. The magnetic properties are among the properties of interest for some biomedical applications. However, due to the interaction of magnetic materials with Magnetic Resonance Image equipments they might used only as not fixed implants or for medical devices. The ferromagnetic superalloys, Incoloy MA 956 and PM 2000, produced by mechanical alloying, have similar chemical composition, high corrosion resistance and are used in high temperature applications. In this study, the corrosion resistance of these two ferritic superalloys was compared in a phosphate buffer solution. The electrochemical results showed that both superalloys are passive in this solution and the PM 2000 present a more protective passive film on it associated to higher impedances than the MA 956.

The resistance to localised corrosion of the full austenitic 15%Cr-15%Ni-1.2%Mo titanium stabilized stainless steel (DIN W. Nr. 1.4970) was investigated by electrochemical methods including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization and potentiostatic polarization measurements in a phosphate-buffered solution (PBS). The low carbon and non-stabilized austenitic stainless steel, AISI 316L (ASTM F-138), widely used for surgical implants, was also tested for comparison. The tests were conducted at room temperature after a stable potential had been reached. After the electrochemical measurements, the surfaces of the specimens were observed using SEM to evaluate the presence of pits. Potentiodynamic polarization results showed that both steels are prone to localized corrosion. Larger pits were found on the surface of AISI 316L specimens after the electrochemical tests. EIS response has indicated the duplex structure of the passive oxides. The results showed that the electrochemical behaviour of the DIN W. Nr. 1.4970 is better than of AISI 316L steel. Therefore, their application as an implant material may be considered.