Surface Enhancement of Medical Implants by Electrodeposition

We are using alloy electrodeposition to strongly attach bone growth enhancing materials such as hydroxyapatite (HA) to the surface of metal alloys that are used for medical implants. Work is also being carried out to prepare crystalline and noncrystalline calcium phosphate mixtures on these surfaces.

A micrograph from a scanning electron microsope (SEM) showing an HA coating deposited on Co. The white areas are Co and the nodules are HA.

A micrograph from a scanning electron microsope (SEM) showing a different HA coating. The large balls are sintered Ti spheres coated with a Co-Cr-Mo alloy and the smaller granuals are the HA particles. The sample was subjected to electrophoresis, densification at 600 C, and electrodeposition.