Effect of Titanium Oxidized Treatment on Interfacial Characteristics of Ti/ZrO<sub>2</sub> Sintered Bonding Materials

Titanium (Ti)-zirconia (ZrO2) bonded materials have been developed as biomaterials with superior hardness, excellent wear resistance, and robust mechanical properties. However, it is crucial to investigate the Ti/ZrO2 interfacial microstructure and suppress the formation of Kirkendall voids caused by elemental diffusion at the bonding interface. This study aims to investigate the effect of oxidation treatment on suppressing elemental diffusion at the interface between pure Ti and ZrO2. Prior to sintering, the titanium surface was oxidized by supplying oxygen gas at a rate of 10 liters/min at 800, 900, and 1000°C for different periods of time. It was studied the effect of the temperature and the holding times during the oxidation treatment of Ti substrate. The Ti/ZrO2 sintered bonds were prepared using the spark plasma sintering process. The microstructures at the bonding interface were observed using SEM. The oxidized titanium surface was analyzed using X-ray diffraction, and elemental diffusion behavior was assessed through EDS analysis. The results demonstrated that elemental diffusion at the interface can be effectively suppressed when oxidation is carried out at temperatures above 900°C for extended periods.