Effects of cyclic bending and physiological solution on plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite coatings of varying crystallinity

There Are over 60 Ways to Produce Biocompatible Calcium Orthophosphate (CaPO4) Deposits on Various Substrates

A The present overview describes various production techniques for biocompatible calcium orthophosphate (abbreviated as CaPO4) deposits (coatings, films and layers) on the surfaces of various types of substrates to impart the biocompatible properties for artificial bone grafts. Since, after being implanted, the grafts always interact with the surrounding biological tissues at the interfaces, their surface properties are considered critical to clinical success. Due to the limited number of materials that can be tolerated in vivo, a new specialty of surface engineering has been developed to desirably modify any unacceptable material surface characteristics while maintaining the useful bulk performance. In 1975, the development of this approach led to the emergence of a special class of artificial bone grafts, in which various mechanically stable (and thus suitable for load-bearing applications) implantable biomaterials and artificial devices were coated with CaPO4. Since then, more than 7500 papers have been published on this subject and more than 500 new publications are added annually. In this review, a comprehensive analysis of the available literature has been performed with the main goal of finding as many deposition techniques as possible and more than 60 methods (double that if all known modifications are counted) for producing CaPO4 deposits on various substrates have been systematically described. Thus, besides the introduction, general knowledge and terminology, this review consists of two unequal parts. The first (bigger) part is a comprehensive summary of the known CaPO4 deposition techniques both currently used and discontinued/underdeveloped ones with brief descriptions of their major physical and chemical principles coupled with the key process parameters (when possible) to inform readers of their existence and remind them of the unused ones. The second (smaller) part includes fleeting essays on the most important properties and current biomedical applications of the CaPO4 deposits with an indication of possible future developments.

Calcium orthophosphate deposits: Preparation, properties and biomedical applications

Since various interactions among cells, surrounding tissues and implanted biomaterials always occur at their interfaces, the surface properties of potential implants appear to be of paramount importance for the clinical success. In view of the fact that a limited amount of materials appear to be tolerated by living organisms, a special discipline called surface engineering was developed to initiate the desirable changes to the exterior properties of various materials but still maintaining their useful bulk performances. In 1975, this approach resulted in the introduction of a special class of artificial bone grafts, composed of various mechanically stable (consequently, suitable for load bearing applications) implantable biomaterials and/or bio-devices covered by calcium orthophosphates (CaPO4) to both improve biocompatibility and provide an adequate bonding to the adjacent bones. Over 5000 publications on this topic were published since then. Therefore, a thorough analysis of the available literature has been performed and about 50 (this number is doubled, if all possible modifications are counted) deposition techniques of CaPO4 have been revealed, systematized and described. These CaPO4 deposits (coatings, films and layers) used to improve the surface properties of various types of artificial implants are the topic of this review.

The use of physiological solutions or media in calcium phosphate synthesis and processing

This review examined the literature to spot uses, if any, of physiological solutions/media for the in situ synthesis of calcium phosphates (CaP) under processing conditions (i.e. temperature, pH, concentration of inorganic ions present in media) mimicking those prevalent in the human hard tissue environments. There happens to be a variety of aqueous solutions or media developed for different purposes; sometimes they have been named as physiological saline, isotonic solution, cell culture solution, metastable CaP solution, supersaturated calcification solution, simulated body fluid or even dialysate solution (for dialysis patients). Most of the time such solutions were not used as the aqueous medium to perform the biomimetic synthesis of calcium phosphates, and their use was usually limited to the in vitro testing of synthetic biomaterials. This review illustrates that only a limited number of research studies used physiological solutions or media such as Earle's balanced salt solution, Bachra et al. solutions or Tris-buffered simulated body fluid solution containing 27mM HCO3(-) for synthesizing CaP, and these studies have consistently reported the formation of X-ray-amorphous CaP nanopowders instead of Ap-CaP or stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) at 37°C and pH 7.4. By relying on the published articles, this review highlights the significance of the use of aqueous solutions containing 0.8-1.5 mMMg(2+), 22-27mM HCO3(-), 142-145mM Na(+), 5-5.8mM K(+), 103-133mM Cl(-), 1.8-3.75mM Ca(2+), and 0.8-1.67mM HPO4(2-), which essentially mimic the composition and the overall ionic strength of the human extracellular fluid (ECF), in forming the nanospheres of X-ray-amorphous CaP.

Contact nanofatigue shows crack growth in amorphous calcium phosphate on Ti, Co-Cr and Stainless steel

Fatigue testing of load-bearing coated implants is usually very time-consuming and so a new contact nanofatigue test using a nanoindenter has been evaluated. A cube corner indenter provided the fastest indication of failure, through crack formation, compared to a spherical indenter. Contact nanofatigue was performed on a sintered hydroxyapatite and then on amorphous calcium phosphate splats produced on titanium, stainless steel and Co-Cr surfaces, made either at room temperature or on 250°C preheated surfaces. Sintered hydroxyapatite showed continual plastic deformation, but this is not that apparent for splats on metal surfaces. Substrate preheating was found to induce cracking in splats, explained by greater thermal residual stresses. Endurance during contact nanofatigue, measured as time to crack formation, was the lowest for splats on titanium followed by Co-Cr and stainless steel. The splat on titanium showed both cracking and plastic deformation during testing. Good agreement has been reached with previous studies with cracking directed to the substrate without splat delamination. Contact nanofatigue with the nanoindenter easily and quickly identifies cracking events that previously required detection with acoustic emission, and shows good feasibility for mechanical testing of discs and splats produced by thermal spraying, spray forming, laser-ablation, aerosol jet and ink jet printing.

Stress influence on interface in plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium alloy

During clinical use of hydroxyapatite-coated implants, mechanical stresses are added to pre-existing residual stresses. The magnitude of these stresses affects the coating's performance. In this work we studied, by neutron diffraction and conventional X-ray diffraction methods, the macrostresses induced by a plasma-spraying process in the coating and at the interface. Neutron diffraction is one of the most suitable techniques for studying the strain distribution in a bulk material. X-ray diffraction was used to determine residual stress in the hydroxyapatite coating. Using a neutron diffraction method at the nearest point to the interface, we saw no real difference between the stress observed on coated and that on non-coated samples. With the X-ray diffraction method, it appeared that the stress level was compressive on every sample. The major advantage of the neutron diffraction method is that measurements can be made on a thick coating in a nondestructive way. The disadvantage is the large-gauge volume that we had to use because of the relatively low intensity of the neutron beam. Polishing is necessary for measurements inside the material when using the X-ray method. This destructive method may alter the stress field of the deposit.

Hydroxyapatite-coated Ti-6Al-4V part 1: the effect of coating thickness on mechanical fatigue behaviour

The present investigation examines the effect of coating thickness on the fatigue behaviour of hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated Ti-6Al-4V. Uniaxial fatigue tests were conducted on grit blasted Ti-6Al-4V coupons with HA coatings deposited by atmospheric plasma-spray at thicknesses of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 150 microm, as well as on grit blasted specimens that had received a stress relieving heat treatment. Coupons with 150 microm HA coatings were shown to have significantly decreased fatigue resistances, with lives similar to those of the stress relieved specimens, while coatings of thickness 25-100 microm were found to have no affect on fatigue resistance. Residual stresses generated during deposition, cracks propagating towards the substrate from within the coating, and stress relief due to heat inputs from the spraying process were all considered with respect to their potential effects on fatigue behaviour. Stress relief in the substrate due to enhanced heat transfer mechanisms was identified as the most likely source of the observed reductions in substrate fatigue life in the 150 microm coupons.