Laser pulse dependent micro textured calcium phosphate coatings for improved wettability and cell compatibility.

Surface wettability of an implant material is an important criterion in biological response as it controls the adsorption of proteins followed by attachment of cells to its surface. Hence, micro-textured calcium phosphate coatings with four length scales were synthesized on Ti-6Al-4V substrates by a laser cladding technique and their effects on wettability and cell adhesion were systematically evaluated. Microstructure and morphological evolutions of the coatings were studied using scanning electron and light optical microscopes respectively. The surface texture of coating defined in terms of a texture parameter was correlated to its wetting behavior. The contact angle of simulated body fluid measured by a static sessile drop technique, demonstrated an increased hydrophilicity with decreasing value of texture parameter. The influence of such textures on the in vitro bioactivity and in vitro biocompatibility were studied by the immersion of the samples in simulated body fluid and mouse MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cell culture respectively.