Microporous Ti implant compact coated with hydroxyapatite produced by electro-discharge-sintering and electrostatic-spray-deposition

• Published in: Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology Vol. 14; no. 11; p. 8439
• Main Authors: Jo, Y J, Kim, Y H, Jo, Y H, Seong, J G, Chang, S Y, Van Tyne, C J, Lee, W H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2014
• ISSN: 1533-4899
• DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2014.9933

A single pulse of 1.5 kJ/0.7 g of atomized spherical Ti powder from 300 μF capacitor was applied to produce the porous-surfaced Ti implant compact by electro-discharge-sintering (EDS). A solid core surrounded by porous layer was self-consolidated by a discharge in the middle of the compact in 122 μsec. Average pore size, porosity, and compressive yield strength of EDS Ti compact were estimated to be about 68.2 μm, 25.5%, and 266.4 MPa, respectively. Coatings with hydroxyapatite (HAp) on the Ti compact were conducted by electrostatic-spray-deposition (ESD) method. As-deposited HAp coating was in the form of porous structure and consisted of HAp particles which were uniformly distributed on the Ti porous structure. By heat-treatment at 700 degrees C, HAp particles were agglomerated each other and melted to form a highly smooth and homogeneous HAp thin film consisted of equiaxed nano-scaled grains. Porous-surfaced Ti implant compacts coated with highly crystalline apatite phase were successfully obtained by using the EDS and ESD techniques.