Hydroxyapatite Coating on Thermally Oxidized Titanium Substrates

Titanium substrates were oxidized in oxygen or air at temperatures of 600°–800°C, then immersed in solutions of 2.0m M – 20.7m M CaCl₂ and 1.2m M –12.4m M KH₂PO₄ for aging periods of 0.5–10 d. The titanium surface was successfully coated with hydroxyapatite (HAP) when the substrates were oxidized in oxygen gas at 610°C for 1 h and then aged in a solution of 2.00m M Ca²⁺ and 1.20m M PO₄³⁻. The Ca/P ratio of the surface coating increased toward its stoichiometric HAP value (return 10/6) as the aging time increased; the Ca/P ratio attained a value of 1.66 after 10 d.