Effects of structure and composition of the CaP composite coatings on apatite formation and bioactivity in simulated body fluid

The surface properties of biomaterials determine the interactions between biomedical devices and the surrounding biological environment. The surface modification of biomaterials is extensively recognized as a key strategy in the design of the next generation of bone implants and tissue engineering. In this study, the highly ordered octacalcium phosphate (OCP) coating and OCP/protein coating with hierarchically porous structure in nano-micro scale were constructed on titanium substrate by electrochemically-induced deposition (ED). The formation behavior of apatite on OCP and OCP/protein coatings immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) was investigated in physicochemical aspects. It is indicated that soaked in SBF, the OCP and OCP/protein coatings are possible to induce relevant apatite formation on their surface, and the apatite-forming behavior in body environment is depended on the chemical composition and structure of the coatings. The apatite formed on OCP/protein composite coating possesses carbonated structure, needle-like crystals in nano scale, lower Ca/P ratio and higher degree of the preferred c-axis orientation, which are similar to the mineral composition and structure in natural bone, and hence called as bone-like apatite.