Functionalization of the Surface of Ti6Al4V Alloy Samples Printed Using Additive Technology DMLS for Orthopedic Applications Using Glow Discharge Treatment.

Previous studies of nitrogen and carbonitride layers on titanium alloys have mainly focused on cast or wrought materials. These traditional manufacturing methods are increasingly being replaced by additive methods, which allow the geometry of the manufactured product to be personalized. In the case of multi-component structures, and implant systems in particular, the hardness and abrasion resistance of the surface are insufficient. Therefore, these surfaces must be modified to improve these properties. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the properties of surface-modified Ti64 ELI alloy samples produced by the additive Direct Metal Laser Sintering method. To increase the hardness and abrasion resistance of the surface, a diffusion layer of TiN was produced under glow discharge conditions on samples previously heat-treated at temperatures of 800 °C, 910 °C, and 1020 °C. Since these implants remain in the body, it is important to sterilize them beforehand. Therefore, this study included samples after steam sterilization, and the results were compared to unsterilized samples. This study evaluated the structure of the material, the phase composition of the layer, the topography and wettability of the surface, along with the surface energy (before sterilization θav > 106°), resistance to pitting corrosion, hardness, and tribological properties.