Surface induced reactivity for titanium by ion implantation.

Calcium and phosphorus storage in a thin layer of titanium surface was achieved by ion implantation. We study the reactivity of this surface in response to a hydrothermal treatment. The incipient implanted species are observed to convert to Ca(2+) and PO(4)(3-), the precursors for generating calcium phosphate polymorphs. Hydroxyapatite is formed from these precursors by an interface-liquid mediated mineralization preceded by the hydrolysis of oxygen compounds of Ca and P from the solid phase. The morphology and organization of apatite mineral is controlled by the fluid dynamics reflecting the surface remodeling to adapt to the available local environment. Exposed to calcium and phosphate ion containing solution, the hydrothermally treated surface templates hydroxyapatite deposition. Ca and P implanted Ti surface was shown to be chemically and morphologically actively involved in the interfacial reactions. Copyright 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers