Surface characterization of biocompatible hydroxyapatite coatings

The coatings of hydroxyapatite are widely used for orthopaedic and dental prostheses, Nevertheless, their chemical, biological and mechanical properties still can be improved by the development of new preparation technologies. Here we report a surface characterization of hydroxyapatite coatings prepared by different deposition techniques. The layers of hydroxyapatite are grown on commercial titanium substrates by using sol-gel and electrodeposition techniques, The biocompatibility of the samples is tested upon in vitro treatment as a function of the exposure time, Surface chemical composition and morphology of the coatings are studied by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning Auger microscopy (SAM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Quantitative XPS analysis and surface chemical and physical images reveal different features (cleanness, homogeneity, roughness) of the coatings and different surface modifications induced by the interaction with osteoblast cells. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.