Fabrication and characterization of graded calcium phosphate coatings produced by ion beam sputtering/mixing deposition

Ion beam sputtering/mixing deposition was used to produce thin calcium phosphate coatings on titanium substrate from the hydroxyapatite target. It was found that as-deposited coatings were amorphous. No distinct absorption band of the hydroxyl group was observed in FTIR spectra of the coatings but new absorption bands were present for CO32-, which was brought about during the deposition process. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the deposited coatings had a uniform and dense structure. The calcium to phosphorous ratio of these coatings varied between 2.0 and 8.0. Analyses of XPS data revealed that the coating could be divided into four distinctive zones, and a graded structure was achieved in the as-received coating. Scratch tests showed that the coatings adhered well to the substrate