Tailoring the surface of NiTi alloy by TiN coating for biomedical application

In this study, TiN coating was produced on nickel titanium (NiTi) alloy using a filtered arcing ion plate technique in order to efficiently avoid the potential hazards of Ni element. The successful formation of TiN coating was showed by X-ray diffractometer and scanning electron microscope coupled with energy-dispersive spectrometer. Microhardness tests with different loading conditions were performed to evaluate the surface mechanical property. Corrosion resistance and wear resistance, both before and after nitriding, were presented. Further, the alloys were tested for their cellular growth with murine fibroblast cells. It was observed that the bonding between the substrate and TiN coating is excellent. Improved corrosion resistance, wear resistance and cellular viability were observed with TiN-coated alloys.