Comparison between the SBF response of hydroxyapatite coatings deposited using both a plasma-spray and a novel co-incident micro-blasting technique

This paper reports on the response of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings, fabricated using two deposition technologies, to immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). The deposition methods used were: plasma spray, a commercial standard, and CoBlast, a novel low temperature microblast technique. In the case of the latter, HA coatings are deposited by simultaneous blasting HA and abrasive powders concentrically at a metallic substrate, resulting in a thin layer of HA (approx. 2.5 μm thick). Groups of the CoBlast and plasma spray HA coatings were immersed in 7 ml of SBF solution for 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days, and were subsequently removed and examined for any alterations caused by the SBF solution. It was noted from this study that the CoBlast HA coatings appeared to undergo a two step calcium phosphate recrystallisation process; initial homogenous nucleation and subsequent heterogeneous nucleation. Conversely recrystallisation on the plasma spray coatings appeared to proceed largely through a heterogeneous nucleation process. Two factors that may influence the differences in HA recrystallisation is the presence of amorphous HA resulting in rapid dissolution, and/or the significantly lower surface area (roughness) offered to the SBF solution by the CoBlast coatings. The interpretation of recrystallisation mechanisms from this preliminary study is limited however by the differences in coating morphology and thickness (27 versus 2 μm) for the plasma spray and CoBlast HA coatings respectively.