OPTIMIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HA COATING ON TI SUBSTRATE VIA PLD FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This study focuses on the synthesis of Hydroxyapatite powder, followed by development of HA coating on commercially pure Titanium substrate via Pulsed-Laser Deposition (PLD) coating technique, and optimization of PLD parameters to achieve HA coatings of higher crystallinity and good adhesive strength. The issue of poor biological activity is one of the most significant causes of premature failures in orthopedic implants which require revision surgery. Revision surgeries are more complex than the initial operation and are a great risk to the health of an individual. Our approach was to coat HA on Titanium substrate, making Titanium bioactive and increasing its biocompatibility level. Hydroxyapatite has been synthesized by wet precipitation method, and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman Spectroscopies for purity, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for morphology. The coating has been deposited by optimizing the parameters of PLD technique. This deposition technique is commercially approved by FDA, ensures stoichiometric ratio transfer and purity, as well as optimum coating thickness control. The coating has been characterized for purity by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), hydrophilicity by Contact Angle Measurement, morphology and topography by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), respectively. The results show the optimum coating thickness has made the surface hydrophilic by reducing the contact angle and osseointegration has been improved due to increase in roughness.