Improvement of Functional Properties of Medical Stainless Steel Surface by Treatment with Helium, Argon, and Silver Ions

Abstract

Investigations of the carbon film synthesis on the surface of steel orthopedic structures obtained by ions implantation of argon ions (accelerating voltage U_acc = 40–130 kV and dose range F = (1.25–3.1) × 10¹⁶ ion/cm²) in a carbon dioxide medium have been conducted. It is shown that implantation of Ar⁺ ions in a CO₂ environment leads to a significant increase in microhardness of medical steel surface (up to 31 GPa). The method of ion beam modification of the carbon diamond-like film by implantation of silver ions (accelerating voltage 50 kV and dose range 1.2 × 10¹⁶–1.8 × 10¹⁶ ion/cm²) to impart antimicrobial surface properties has been proposed. The studies in vivo have proved that the steel implants modified by the developed ion beam method efficiently take root in the bone tissue without inflammatory processes in the surrounding biostructures.