The effect of electron beam sterilization on the physical properties of the bioresorbable polymer coatings on the titanium 6-aluminum 4-vanadium substrate

The aim of the work is to determine the physical properties of titanium 6-aluminum 4-vanadium alloy with poly (glycolide-?-caprolactone) coating after electron beam sterilization. First, the metal substrate is machined with grade 120 and 320 grinding papers. Some of the samples are subjected to anodic oxidation. Then, the samples are coated with a biodegradable polymer layer of poly (glycolide-?-caprolactone). Samples with polymer coatings are subjected to electron beam sterilization. To evaluate the effect of sterilization on physical properties of modified titanium alloy the scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, adhesion studies of the polymer coating to the metal substrate and wettability tests are applied. On the basis of the obtained results, an increase of the contact angle value is found both after applying the polymer coating to the surface of the tested titanium 6-aluminium 4-vanadium alloy as well as after electron beam sterilization. In addition, a slight increase of the adhesion in sterilized samples comparted to non-sterilized is observed. In scanning electron microscopic observations, traces of machining on the surface of the metal substrate and the continuity of the polymer coatings before and after sterilization are found. In the atomic force microscopic studies in relation to the initial state, a very good mapping of the surface topography of the samples with a homogeneous coating is found.