Setting the functional properties of TiNi alloys during ion-plasma coating deposition process

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to study the influence of the technological parameters of the ion-plasma treatment (IPT) on the functional properties of a TiNi shape memory alloy and its biocompatibility. The object of the study was the Ti–50.8 at. % Ni alloy, widely applied in medical devices. IPT was carried out by vacuum-arc evaporation of a titanium cathode at different values of the bias potential (0, –100, and –500 V), followed by TiN deposition. The functional properties of the TiNi alloy after IPT were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. The biocompatible properties were evaluated using atomic emission spectrometry to measure a nickel concentration after one year holding TiN-coated TiNi samples in the 0.9 % NaCl solution. It has been determined that by setting the temperature regime of heating of Ti–50.8 at. % Ni alloy samples due to the technological parameters of the IPT process, it is possible to change the interval of realization of thermoelastic martensitic transformations, and, consequently, the temperature response of devices made of this alloy, i. e. to set the necessary functional properties. The comparative analysis of the characteristic temperatures after heat and ion-plasma treatments allow us to conclude that the proposed method for calculation of the TiNi substrate temperature is correct at IPT. The calculated temperature of the TiNi samples was ~275 °C at the zero potential, which is sufficient to shift the characteristic temperatures of the alloy. The substrate temperature during deposition was ~400 °C at a – 100 V bias and above 600 °C at a – 500 V bias, respectively. The Ni concentration in the model solution did not exceed 0.14 mg/l after one year holding, which indicates the high biocompatibility of the TiN-coated TiNi samples.