title: Plasma-treated nanostructured TiO(2) surface supporting biomimetic growth of apatite.
abstract: Although some types of TiO(2) powders and gel-derived films can exhibit bioactivity, plasma-sprayed TiO(2) coatings are always bioinert, thereby hampering wider applications in bone implants. We have successfully produced a bioactive nanostructured TiO(2) surface with grain size smaller than 50 nm using nanoparticle plasma spraying followed by hydrogen plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII). The hydrogen PIII nano-TiO(2) coating can induce bone-like apatite formation on its surface after immersion in a simulated body fluid. In contrast, apatite cannot form on either the as-sprayed TiO(2) surfaces (both <50 nm grain size and >50 nm grain size) or hydrogen-implanted TiO(2) with grain size larger than 50 nm. Hence, both a hydrogenated surface that gives rise to negatively charged functional groups on the surface and small grain size (<50 nm) that enhances surface adsorption are crucial to the growth of apatite. Introduction of surface bioactivity to plasma-sprayed TiO(2) coatings, which are generally recognized to have excellent biocompatibility and corrosion resistance as well as high bonding to titanium alloys, makes them more superior than many current biomedical coatings.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Xuanyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ricky K Y
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Joan P Y
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Chuanxian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D001031:Apatites / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D005740:Gases; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005740:Gases; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006859:Hydrogen; D014025:Titanium