Authors: C A PinedaVargas M Topic T Ntsoane
Publish Date: 2013/01/20
Volume: 297, Issue: 3, Pages: 457-461
Abstract
Bioconductive materials and in particular implants using Ti alloy Ti6–Al4–V coated with hydroxyapatite HAp have proved to be a suitable surgical procedure However experience has shown that these implants not always have the required reliability to guarantee their expected lifespan of approximate 15 years In this research experimental Ti alloyimplants coated with HAp and incubated in a simulated body fluid rSBF under controlled physiological conditions were studied by nuclear microprobe NMP Selected HAp coatings were analysed by microPIXE using protons of 15 MeV at the iThemba LABS NMP facility Major elements Ti Al V Ca and P as well as trace elements Si K Fe Zn and Sr were determined The effect of longer incubation time was of particular interest Results confirmed that secondary Cadeficient defect hydroxyapatite precipitated from the simulated body solution onto the HAp coating surface after prolonged incubation This newly formed layer is thought to be of vital importance for bonding of implants with living bone tissueThis investigation was supported by a bilateral agreement between the South African and German governments through collaboration project code 396G0B6A NRF/BMBF This work was partially supported in South Africa by National Research Foundation grant number 63509 The authors would like to thank the staff of the Materials Research Department at iThemba LABS for their support throughout the experiments at the NMP beam line as well as the members of the Mineralogy Department at Technische Universitat Bergakademie Freiberg Germany for the plasma spraying of HA onto substrates in particular to Prof R B Heimann
Keywords: