Laser surface modification of metallic biomaterials

Load-bearing metal implants often fail prematurely due to inadequate biocompatibility, mechanical/tribological properties, and poor osseointegration. It is well known that biomaterials’ surface plays a vital role in the response to these metal implants in the biological environment. The biological effectiveness of artificial implants is determined mainly by their surface characteristics such as surface morphology, microstructure, composition, mechanical properties, wettabilility, and surface free energy. Hence, there is significant interest toward surface modification and effective design of load-bearing metal implants so as to improve their surface properties and thereby elicit a specific, desired, and timely response from the surrounding cells and tissues. In this article, we provide an insight into laser surface modification of Ti/Ti6Al4V alloy with or without functional gradation in composition and their microstructural, in vitro wear and biological properties for various loadbearing orthopedic applications.