New insights into the corrosion of orthopedic Ti-6Al-4V under cathodic polarization
Agata Sotniczuk, Baojie Dou, Chenyang Xie, Junhui Tang, Damian Kalita, Witold Chromiński, Halina Garbacz, Fan Sun, Kévin Ogle
Abstract
This study offers a real-time monitoring of titanium dissolution in H2O2-enriched phosphate buffer solution (PBS) during polarization of Ti-6Al-4V at cathodic potentials using atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry (AESEC). Polarization had a deleterious effect on titanium dissolution when it was conducted at potentials between −0.5 V and −1 V. AESEC results demonstrate a non-linear and time-dependent relation between titanium dissolution and applied potential. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM) and (TEM) observations revealed that the vanadium-rich (β) phase is more sensitive to polarization-induced corrosion, which continues during subsequent Ti-6Al-4V exposure at open circuit potential.