Structure of calcium titanate/titania bioceramic composite coatings on titanium alloy and apatite deposition on their surfaces in a simulated body fluid

In this study, TiO₂-based coatings containing Ca and P ions were prepared on titanium alloy surfaces by microarc oxidation (MAO). After soaking in aqueous NaOH solution and subsequent heat treatment at 700 and 800 °C, calcium titanate/titania bioceramic composite (CTBC) coatings were obtained. The results show that the outer layers (0-1.5 μm) of the CTBC coatings are mainly composed of Ca, Ti, O and Na constituents with a uniform distributions with increasing the depth near the surfaces. The surface phase compositions of the CTBC coating formed at 700 °C are anatase, rutile and CaTi₂₁O₃₈ phases, as well as a few CaTiO₃, while those of the CTBC coating formed at 800 °C are anatase, rutile and CaTiO₃. When incubated in a simulated body fluid (SBF), apatite was deposited on the CTBC coatings probably via formation of hydroxyl functionalized surface complexes on the CTBC coating surfaces by ionic exchanges between (Ca²⁺, Na⁺) ions of the CTBC coatings and H₃O⁺ ions in the SBF. The CTBC coating formed at 800 °C seems to facilitate the deposition of Ca and P probably due to the good crystallographic match between perovskite CaTiO₃ and HA on specific crystal planes.