Study on enhancing biocompatibility of Ti–Ta alloy by synergistic effect of ultrasonic cavitation and micro-abrasive particles

Enhancing the surface characteristics of titanium–tantalum (Ti-Ta) alloy is essential for improving their biological performance in biomedical applications. This study presents a controlled surface modification strategy based on ultrasonic cavitation-assisted erosion, aimed at constructing micro- and nano-scale porous textures on Ti-Ta substrates. Spherical SiO 2 micro-abrasive particles of varying diameters ranging from1 μm to 30 μm and mass fractions between 2 wt.% and 8 wt.% were introduced into the cavitation environment to investigate their effects on surface morphology and biocompatibility. Detailed analyses revealed that both particle size and concentration significantly influenced erosion kinetics, pit geometry, and surface topography. Notably, the use of 10 μm particles at 8 wt% produced a uniform porous structure with an average roughness ( S a ) of 0.818 μm and a depression volume ( V d ) of 8321.488 μm 3 , it has the highest absorbance 3.327, resulting in the highest osteoblast adhesion. These results highlight a scalable and cost-effective strategy for optimizing Ti–Ta implant surfaces, with strong potential to enhance osteointegration in orthopedic and dental applications.