Enhancing surface properties of Ti via pulsed laser ablation in H2O2: Formation of stable TiO2-B structure with improved corrosion and wear resistance

Recently, laser surface modification has emerged as a promising approach to improve the mechanical features of titanium (Ti), such as corrosion and wear resistance, as well as hardness. In this study, a simple, environmentally friendly, controllable, and cost-effective pulsed laser ablation (PLA) method was applied to form the titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) ceramic structure on the surface of Ti metal. For the first time, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was used as an irradiation environment to modify the surface properties of Ti. The effects of different numbers of laser scanning cycles on the generated TiO 2 structures and their corrosion behaviors were studied. The ablated samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results confirmed the fabrication of the monoclinic TiO 2 -B structure (bronze phase of TiO 2 ) for all numbers of laser scanning cycles. The TiO 2 -B structure formed on the Ti surface after PLA positively affected its wear and corrosion resistances in Ringer's solution. Therefore, laser ablation of Ti in H 2 O 2 aqueous solution is a facile approach to form stable TiO 2 -B and it improves the wear and corrosion resistances of Ti.