Functionalizing Ti-surfaces through the EPD of hydroxyapatite/nanoY2O3.

Ceramic materials for skeletal repair and reconstruction are expanding to a number of different applications. Present research is addressing new compositions and performances to promote osseo-integration through metal coatings. Nanotechnology plays a key role in this research because nanostructures can be introduced into implants to functionalize them and/or to enhance their properties, such as the thermal or mechanical response. In this work, the insertion of Y(2)O(3) nanoparticles into a hydroxyapatite (HA) coating of Ti using colloidal processing technology was developed. The suspensions of HA and Y(2)O(3) nanoparticles were formulated with a focus on zeta potential, particle size distribution, and viscosity for the codeposition of both phases by electrophoresis. The microstructure of the nanocomposite coating was optimized by adjusting the main parameters of the electrophoretic deposition process. A threshold value of the applied electric field for the composite shaping was identified. The results demonstrate that the Y(2)O(3) nanoparticles are homogeneously distributed in the coating and decrease in concentration as the distance from the substrate increases. As a consequence of the presence of the Y(2)O(3), delays in the HA thermal decomposition and the improvement of metal-ceramic joining were observed.