This article evaluates the influence of the main parameters in a cathodic arc deposition process on the microstructure of titanium dioxide thin coatings and correlates these to the photocatalytic activity (PCA) and in vitro bioactivity of the coatings. Bioactivity of all as deposited coatings was confirmed by the growth of uniform layers of hydroxyapatite (HA) after 7 days in phosphate buffered saline at 37°C. Comparison of the HA growth after 24 h indicated enhanced HA formation on coatings with small titanium dioxide grains of rutile and anatase phase. The results from the PCA studies showed that coatings containing a mixed microstructure of both anatase and rutile phases, with small grain sizes in the range of 26-30 nm and with a coating thickness of about 250 nm, exhibited enhanced activity as compared with other microstructures and higher coating thickness. The results of this study should be valuable for the development of new bioactive implant coatings with photocatalytically induced on-demand antibacterial properties.
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