CHARACTERIZATION OF Nd: YAG LASER RADIATION EFFECTS ON Ti6Al4V PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: AN IN VIVO STUDY

The effect of aNd: YAG laser (1064 nm) has been studied on Ti6Al4V alloy in terms of optical and physical parameters for biomedical applications. The superior surface microhardness hardness (i.e. 377 VHN) is attributed to grain refinement associated with laser melting and rapid solidification. The electrochemical property, mainly pitting corrosion resistance, has been carried out in Hanks salt balanced physiological solution using standard potentiodynanlic polarization testing. At the optimium laser treating fluence (140 Jcm-2 ), the EDX spectroscopy showed a decrease of about 30 % in the vanadiunl and the contact angle measurelnents also indicated an improved surface wettability seen in the characteristics vith a contact angle of 350. Finally, Cell spreading on the implanted specimens \vas analyzed by SEM and their condition in a specific area \vas studied for 10 cells for three separate regions on the same specinlen using lInage ] Progranl soft: vare. The in vivo tests provided some useful clinical and pathological information regarding tissue response to the implants with different surface topography.