Effect of magnetron-sputtered monolayer Ta and multilayer Ti-Zr-Ta and Zr-Ti-Ta coatings on the surface properties of biomedical Ti-6Al-4V alloy

To improve the surface biocompatibility, hardness, and corrosion resistance in a simulated human environment, monolayer Ta coating and multilayer Ti-Zr-Ta and Zr-Ti-Ta coatings are prepared by magnetron sputtering on Ti-6Al-4V substrates. Vickers hardness and nanoindentation reveal that the coatings improve the surface hardness of the investigated alloy. Moreover, the coatings improved the corrosion behavior of the alloy, which is mainly attributed to that the coatings changed the composition of the passivation film. The multilayer coatings effectively hinder the growth trend of the columnar structures. Finally, the all sputtered coatings have excellent cytocompatibility.