Tribo-mechanical and cellular behavior of superficially modified porous titanium samples using femtosecond laser

Abstract

In this work, the surface of porous titanium samples obtained by the space-holder technique was treated with a femtosecond laser to improve their osseointegration. Instrumented micro-indentation and scratch test were implemented to evaluate the tribo-mechanical behavior of the surface of the modified samples. A detailed study of micro-hardness, stiffness, scratch resistance and elastic recovery was performed. Also, in vitro analysis was carried out to evaluate the cellular behavior. Modified samples showed less ALP activity, which could indicate a greater differentiation of the cells. The cell culture was similar in all cases although more differentiated morphology, good cell adherence and biological response were observed on treated samples. Finally, the discs with a pore size between 100–200 μm present being potential candidates for the replacement of small portions of damaged cortical bone tissues.