Structure and integrity of a plasma sprayed hydroxylapatite coating on titanium.

Plasma sprayed hydroxylapatite (HA) coatings on titanium substrates were analyzed for process-induced compositional and structural changes. The HA starting powder and the resulting HA coatings were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. The integrity of the ceramic-to-substrate bond strength was also determined, by subjecting plasma sprayed HA coatings to shear/cantilever bond testing. The ceramic coatings retained the basic apatitic crystal structure of the starting powder; however, a considerable amount of amorphous material was created during the plasma spray process. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the resulting coatings were partially dehydroxylated. Both XRD and FTIR spectroscopy results also suggested that amorphous material, as well as additional calcium phosphate phases such as alpha-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) not in the starting powder, were present in the HA coating. Average bond strengths of the HA coatings to Ti were determined to be 14.8 MPa +/- 3.5, with fracture occurring at the interface and within the coating itself.