The effect of plasma-sprayed calcium phosphate ceramic coatings on the metal ion release from porous titanium and cobalt-chromium alloys.

Bone tissue ingrowth in porous materials is enhanced by the deposition of bioactive calcium phosphate ceramic linings onto the pore walls. These bioactive coatings can be deposited using several methods which yield a variety of coating efficiencies and thereby influence the mechanisms and kinetics of ion release from the metal. We analyzed the effect of plasma-spraying hydroxyapatite onto titanium and cobalt-chromium alloys by measuring the release of Ti, Al, V, Co, and Cr in vitro. Plasma-sprayed coatings significantly reduced the Ti and Al release from titanium-based alloy specimens. The tendencies of release from the cobalt-based specimens are less pronounced. The data substantiate that neither localized enhanced passive dissolution of metal ions nor ceramic shielding of the metal occurs. The Scanning Auger Electron Microprobe Spectroscopic data suggest that the dissipation of thermal and kinetic energy of the ceramic particle at the time of impact can produce compositional and structural changes in the metal surfaces. The resulting effects are significant for the titanium alloy but less significant for the Co-Cr alloy system.