Laser-Induced Surface Modification to Improve the Physicochemical Properties of Tantalum for Biomedical Applications Publisher



Mahmoodi M^{1, 2, 3} ; Sharifpour D⁴ ; Khosroshahi ME^{5, 6} ; Najari M¹ ; Parsaeian F⁷ ; Iqbal J⁸
Source: Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance Published:2025

Abstract

Tantalum (Ta) and its alloys have remarkable potential for medical implants due to their biocompatibility. However, their clinical performance can be compromised by the release of toxic ions in the physiological environment and inadequate wear resistance. To overcome these limitations, this study investigated the surface modification of Ta using a pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm with fluences of 3.6 and 7.77 mJ/mm2, aiming to enhance its biocompatibility, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance for biomedical applications. Surface morphology and microstructure, surface roughness, hydrophilicity, and wear resistance of the samples after irradiation were evaluated using field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and elemental analysis (EDS), atomic force microscope (AFM), contact angle test, and the pin-on-disk method, respectively. The amount of oxygen on the Ta surface decreased with the increase in the number of laser pulses. Due to the formation of the surface melting and the molten pools, the oxygen on the surface penetrated in molten layers and decreased on the surface. Surface modification of Ta by the Nd:YAG laser increased the wettability and the wear resistance of the modified Ta compared to the unmodified Ta as a control sample. The laser-modified Ta at the fluence of 7.77 mJ/mm2 exhibited the minimum coefficient of friction and wear rate compared to the control sample. The microhardness of the laser-modified Ta increased at the higher laser fluence (143.7 HV) compared to the control sample (133 HV). Evaluation of the corrosion behavior of Ta in Hanks’ solution indicated the lowest corrosion current density and the highest corrosion resistance for the laser-modified Ta. The surface roughness of the modified Ta at the fluence of 3.6 mJ/mm2 was two times higher than that of the laser-modified Ta at the fluence of 7.77 mJ/mm2. Bone cell growth was positively affected by the surface roughness of laser-modified Ta at high fluence of the laser. The bone cell viability for the laser-modified Ta after 3 days of culture indicated excellent biocompatibility. The findings demonstrated that the properties of tantalum can be improved for biomedical applications through Nd:YAG laser surface modification. © ASM International 2025.