Evaluation of the Cathodic Electrodeposition Effectiveness of the Hydroxyapatite Layer Used in Surface Modification of Ti6Al4V-Based Biomaterials

Michalina Ehlert; Aleksandra Radtke; Michał Bartmański; Piotr Piszczek

doi:10.3390/ma15196925

Evaluation of the Cathodic Electrodeposition Effectiveness of the Hydroxyapatite Layer Used in Surface Modification of Ti6Al4V-Based Biomaterials

Materials (Basel). 2022 Oct 6;15(19):6925. doi: 10.3390/ma15196925.

Authors

Michalina Ehlert^{1

2}, Aleksandra Radtke^{1

2}, Michał Bartmański³, Piotr Piszczek^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Inorganic and Coordination Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Gagarina 7, 87-100 Toruń, Poland.
² Nano-Implant Ltd., Gagarina 7/47, 87-100 Toruń, Poland.
³ Department of Biomaterials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gabriela Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland.

Abstract

The important issue associated with the design and the fabrication of the titanium and titanium alloy implants is the increase of their biointegration with bone tissue. In the presented paper, the research results concerning the conditions used in the cathodic deposition of hydroxyapatite on the surface Ti6Al4V substrates primarily modified by the production of TiO₂ nanoporous coatings, TiO₂ nanofibers, and titanate coatings, are discussed. Despite excellent biocompatibility with natural bone tissue of materials based on hydroxyapatite (HA), their poor adhesion to the substrate caused the limited use in the implants' construction. In our works, we have focused on the comparison of the structure, physicochemical, and mechanical properties of coating systems produced at different conditions. For this purpose, scanning electron microscopy images, chemical composition, X-ray diffraction patterns, infrared spectroscopy, wettability, and mechanical properties are analyzed. Our investigations proved that the intermediate titanium oxide coatings presence significantly increases the adhesion between the hydroxyapatite layer and the Ti6Al4V substrate, thus solving the temporary delamination problems of the HA layer.

Keywords: Ti6Al4V alloy; cathodic electrodeposition; hydroxyapatite; nanomechanical properties; surface modification.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Research Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń—Excellence Initiative, Grants4NCUStudents number 2403. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Nano-implant Ltd. also funded this research through the PhD studies of Michalina Ehlert. The APC was waived by MDPI.