Wettability and kinetics of hydroxyapatite precipitation on a laser-textured Ca–P bioceramic coating

Surface-textured calcium phosphate coatings at four different length scales were synthesized on titanium-based alloys using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser system by a direct melting technique. The textures were obtained by varying the laser spot overlap with a change in laser traverse speed. Surface roughness measurements of the textured coatings carried out using a white light interferometer indicated a decrease in roughness with increasing laser scan speed. Wettability of the coated samples measured using a static sessile drop technique demonstrated an increased hydrophilicity with increasing laser scan speed. The influence of such textures and the associated surface roughness on the precipitation kinetics of hydroxyapatite (HA) during immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) was the prime focus of the present paper. The mineralized samples obtained after immersion in SBF were characterized using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy to understand the kinetics of HA precipitation. The results thereafter confirmed that the precipitation kinetics of HA was strongly modulated by the varying surface roughness.