Abstract
Hydroxyapatite (HA) is preferred for its ability to interact with living bone, resulting in improvements of implant fixation and faster bone healing. In this study, a small amount of silicon dioxide (~ 2wt%) was introduced into HA slurry which was subsequently spray-dried into powder. A silicon modified HA coating was then deposited onto Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates by atmospheric plasma spraying technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and Raman spectrometry were employed to investigate the surface chemistry that would directly influence bone forming cell proliferation. Additionally, the adhesive bonding strength of the as-sprayed coatings were specified measured using a universal testing system. The fracture surfaces after tensile test were also investigated by SEM.