title: Post-plasma-spraying heat treatment of the HA coating/Ti-6A1-4V implant system.
abstract: The metal/ceramic interface that constitutes an important part of the plasma-sprayed HA-coated Ti-6A1-4V system may, in fact, represent the "weak link" in the implant design. A post-plasma-spray heat treatment to enhance chemical bonding at the metal/ceramic interface and, hence, improve the mechanical properties (interface fracture toughness and tensile coating adhesion strength) of the plasma-sprayed implant system does show promise. In preliminary heat treatment studies, however, any improvements realized were lost due to the chemical instability of the coating in a moisture-laden environment, with a concomitant loss in bonding properties. This deterioration in properties appears to be related to environmentally assisted crack growth as influenced by processing conditions. Still, an ability to improve HA/Ti-6A1-4V bonding through enhanced diffusion bonding was demonstrated, warranting further heat treatment studies involving atmosphere control during processing.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomaterials, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Filiaggi
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pilliar
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Coombs
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys; D006358:Hot Temperature; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016062:Porosity; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys; C031462:titanium alloy (TiAl6V4); D014025:Titanium