Optimization of Hydroxyapatite Synthesis and Microplasma Spraying of Porous Coatings Onto Titanium Implants

The paper presents the main results of development and optimization of the synthesis of hydroxyapatite and the application of the micro-plasma spraying technique for biocompatible coatings. The hydroxyapatite synthesis was optimized using the mathematical modelling method. Synthesized hydroxyapatite was studied by IR spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analysis for assessment of the compatibility of the chemical and phase composition to the bone tissue. The Ca/P ratio of the obtained hydroxyapatite was 1.65, which is close to that of bone tissue (1.67). To increase the adhesion strength of the HA coating to the surface of the titanium implant, it was suggested to apply a titanium sublayer to the implant surface. Microplasma spraying (MPS) of biocompatible coatings from titanium wires and synthesized HA powders onto substrates made of medical titanium alloy has been carried out. Microplasmatron MPN-004 is used to obtain the two-layer coatings for titanium implants. The two layer coating includes a sub-layer of a porous titanium coating with a thickness in range from 200 up to 300 μm and the porosity level of about 30%, and an upper layer of HA about 100 μm thick with 95% level of HA phases and 93% level of crystallinity. The pore size varies from 20 to 100 μm in both coatings. The paper describes the technology and modes of microplasma deposition of two-layer coatings, including the mode of gas-abrasive treatment of the surface of implants made of titanium alloy before spraying. The synthesized HA powder and the Ti/HA coatings were investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with the energy dispersion analysis and the X-ray diffraction analysis.