Biomimetic coating on titanium: evaluation of bioactivity and corrosion

In this work, the effect of coating by the biomimetic method on a titanium substrate was studied, consisting of the immersion of the substrate in a synthetic SBF (Simulated Body Fluid) solution, with composition, pH and temperature similar to blood plasma. The coating was efficient for obtaining hydroxyapatite, which was confirmed by the techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared. The bioactivity assay revealed that the samples which received the coating with 1.5 SBF presented bioactive characteristic by the formation and development of the carbonated hydroxyapatite on the surface, in a superior way to the samples without coating, thus suggesting a fast osseointegration of the bone with the implant. The polarization curves showed that the titanium without coating presented a higher resistance to corrosion compared to the titanium with coating. (paper)