A Review of the Various Surface

Treatments of NiTi Instruments

Zahed Mohammadi , Mohammad Karim Soltani , Sousan Shalavi , Saeed Asgary
IEJ Iranian Endodontic Journal 2014;9(4):235-240

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Introduction
Nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments show much greater
flexibility and resistance to torsional fracture in comparison
with stainless steel (SS) instrument[1]
Surface defects occur more frequently which leads to
instrument wear. This combination of surface wear and lower
decrease the cutting efficiency of NiTi files.[2]
Improvement of the cutting efficiency of NiTi instruments
especially through their surface treatment has been the
subject of numerous investigations. The implantation of
boron ions on the surface of the instruments increases their
surface hardness.[3]
Ref :
[1] Walia HM, Brantley WA, Gerstein H. An initial investigation of the bending and torsional properties of Nitinol root canal files. J Endod. 1988.
[2] Schafer E. Effect of physical vapor deposition on cutting efficiency of nickel-titanium files. J Endod. 2002;28(12):800-2.

[3] Barbosa FO, Gomes JA, de Araujo MC. Influence of electrochemical polishing on the mechanical properties of K3 nickel-titanium rotary
instruments. J Endod. 2008.

 Increased wear-resistance/cutting efficiency of NiTi

was observed after thermal nitridation process.[4] and
physical vapor deposition of titanium nitride. [3]

Aim of this article is to review the effect of various

surface treatment strategies on the properties of NiTi
files.

Ref :
[3] Barbosa FO, Gomes JA, de Araujo MC. Influence of electrochemical polishing on the mechanical properties of K3 nickel-titanium rotary
instruments. J Endod. 2008.
[4] Tripi TR, Bonaccorso A, Rapisarda E, Tripi V, Condorelli GG, Marino R, Fragala I. Depositions of nitrogen on NiTi instruments. J Endod. 2002.

10-electropolishing
AND NiTi rotary
instruments

Result
29-thermal nitridation

A total of 176 articles

found keywords

3-cryogenic
treatment AND
nickel-titanium

135-plasma immersion ion

implantation AND nickel-titanium
Endodontic treatment AND nickel-titanium

An English-limited Medline
search keywords included..

Electropolishing and NiTi rotary Instruments.

Thermal nitridation
Cryogenic treatment and nickel-titanium.
Plasma immersion ion implantation and nickel-
titanium.
Endodontic treatment

Surface Treatments of NiTi Instruments

Metallurgy of NiTi
Crystal characteristics of NiTi alloy
Surface of NiTi instrument
Surface treatment of NiTi
Plasma immersion ion implantation
Thermal nitridation
Cryogenic treatment
Electropolishing

Metallurgy of NiTi
55-Nitinol
Nickel (Ni) 56% (wt)
NiTi

1:1 atomic ratio (equiatomic)

Titanium (Ti) 44-42% (wt)
+/- < 2% (wt) Cobalt

Metallurgy of NiTi
55-Nitinol
(crystallographic forms)

SM = shape memory
SE = super-elasticity

Transition between
austenite and martensite phases

temperature and stress.

Metallurgy of NiTi
SM = shape memory

Metallurgy of NiTi
SE = super-elasticity

Metallurgy of NiTi
SE = super-elasticity

Crystal characteristics of NiTi alloy

Surface of NiTi instrument

Mainly

Smaller amounts
Nickel oxides (NiO & Ni2O3)
Metallic nickel (Ni)

Dissolve

Oxygen
Carbon
Titanium oxides (TiO2)

Surface of NiTi instrument

Metallic nickel (Ni)

Polished >>> Ti:Ni = 5.5:1

Boiled/Autoclaved >>> Ti:Ni = 23.4-33.1:1

Dissolve
Pure Ti = Biocompatible material

Surface treatment of NiTi

minimize / eliminate defects

increase surface hardness/

flexibility

improve the cyclic fatigue

cutting efficiency

Plasma immersion ion implantation

Metallic nickel (Ni)

Dissolve

decrease Ni

Coating technologies
1. Titanium nitride (TiN)
2. Polymers
not suitable for many medical

Plasma immersion ion implantation

Coating technologies
1. Titanium nitride (TiN)
2. Polymers

the hard TiN coatings frequently have disadvantages

due to the interface between the bulk and its coating.

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII)

Modify the surface of metals and to improve the mechanical properties
(hardness, friction coefficients, and wear/corrosion resistance)

Plasma immersion ion implantation

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII)
Modify the surface of metals and to improve the mechanical properties
(hardness, friction coefficients, and wear/corrosion resistance)

Thermal nitridation
powder immersion reaction assisted coating

Coating (PIRAC)

TiN on NiTi

The modified surface

consists of a thin outer layer of TiN and a thicker Ti2Ni
layer underneath

Thermal nitridation

Thermal nitridation increases the cutting efficiency and corrosion

resistance of NiTi files in contact with NaOCl.

Cryogenic treatment (CT)

Cold treatment (-60 C to - 80 )
improve the surface hardness and thermal stability of the metal

Cryogenic process / cryogenic treatment ( liquid N (-196 C/-320 F) )

CT has more optimal effects than cold treatment.
The benefits include increasing the cutting efficiency as well as the overall strength of the metal.

Cryogenic treatment improves the cutting efficiency, cyclic fatigue

resistance and micro-hardness of NiTi instruments.

Electropolishing (EP)

Electropolishing (EP)

Ti is oxidized to TiO2
(protects the underlying material from further
corrosion)
Ni on the surface decreases

Micro - fractures
Fatigue life
Torsional resistance
Cutting efficiency

comparison of electropolished file (Right) (EndoSequence)

with a non-electropolished instrument (Left).

Electropolishing (EP)

Cryogenic treatment improves the cutting efficiency,

cyclic fatigue resistance
and microhardness of NiTi instruments

- Argon implantation

Conculsion

-nitrogen ion implanted files

performed worse in the fatigue test
-cyclic fatigue of instruments

caused a moderate
improvement

Thermal nitridation increases the cutting

efficiency and corrosion resistance of NiTi
files in contact with NaOCl