HYDROXYAPATITE COATINGS DEPOSITED FROM ALCOHOL SUSPENSIONS BY ELECTROPHORETIC DEPOSITION ON TITANIUM SUBSTRATE

Non-calcined and calcined synthetic powders of HAp were electrophoretically deposited from alcohol medium (methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol) on the Ti-plate cathode within one or several cycles. The quality and the rate of the coating deposition were evaluated with respect to applied direct voltage (5, 10 and 20 V) and the concentration of suspension. The optimal conditions featured the medium of methanol and a direct voltage of 10 V. The coating thickness attained within several seconds was tens of micron. A deposition time of 150-180 s produced a layer thickness of 150-200 micron. The growth rate of coating was affected mostly by the current density and duration of process, i.e. by charge density. The suspension concentration, conductivity of suspension and applied voltage were the main determining factors of the current density. 15 refs.