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Hydroxyapatite-anatase-carbon nanotube nanocomposite coatings fabricated by electrophoretic codeposition for biomedical applications

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine volume 22, Article number: 2249 (2011) Cite this article

Abstract

In order to eliminate micro-cracks in the monolithic hydroxyapatite (HA) and composite hydroxyapatite/carbon nanotube (HA/CNT) coatings, novel HA/TiO2/CNT nanocomposite coatings on Ti6Al4V were attempted to fabricate by a single-step electrophoretic codeposition process for biomedical applications. The electrophoretically deposited layers with difference contents of HA, TiO2 (anatase) and CNT nanoparticles were sintered at 800°C for densification with thickness of about 7–10 μm. A dense and crack-free coating was achieved with constituents of 85 wt% HA, 10 wt% TiO2 and 5 wt% CNT. Open-circuit potential measurements and cyclic potentiodynamic polarization tests were used to investigate the electrochemical corrosion behavior of the coatings in vitro conditions (Hanks’ solution at 37°C). The HA/TiO2/CNT coatings possess higher corrosion resistance than that of the Ti6Al4V substrate as reflected by nobler open circuit potential and lower corrosion current density. In addition, the surface hardness and adhesion strength of the HA/TiO2/CNT coatings are higher than that of the monolithic HA and HA/CNT coatings without compromising their apatite forming ability. The enhanced properties were attributed to the nanostructure of the coatings with the appropriate TiO2 and CNT contents for eliminating micro-cracks and micro-pores.

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Acknowledgments

The work described in this paper was fully supported by a research grant from the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) of Macau SAR (Grant no. 018/2007/A) and the Research Committee of University of Macau (Project no. RG064/06-07S/KCT/FST).

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  1. Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Av. Padre Tomas Pereira, Taipa, Macau, China

    Bokai Zhang & Chi Tat Kwok

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  1. Bokai Zhang
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  2. Chi Tat Kwok
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Correspondence to Chi Tat Kwok.

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Zhang, B., Kwok, C.T. Hydroxyapatite-anatase-carbon nanotube nanocomposite coatings fabricated by electrophoretic codeposition for biomedical applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 22, 2249 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-011-4416-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-011-4416-2

Keywords

  • TiO2
  • Adhesion Strength
  • Simulated Body Fluid
  • Nanocomposite Coating
  • Coated Specimen