Electrostatic Spray Deposition of Nanostructured Hydroxyapatite Coating for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate ceramic, is chemically similar to bone mineral and one of the few materials able to produce direct-bonding osteogenesis. Nanostructured hydroxyapatite coating has proved effective in promoting cell growth. However, synthesis of the coating on components of complex geometries with controlled phases is still a challenge. In this paper, we present the results from the exploration of electrostatic spray coating of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and the interaction of particles with laser. The nanoparticles were deposited on commercial grade titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) as a coating perform and bonded using a transient laser heating process. The coating was characterized for its surface morphology, particle size, and adhesion, and analyzed for its chemical compositions and phases. Results have shown the potential of this process to address some of the issues present in the current synthesis processes.