Effect of suspension stability on electrophoretic deposition of hydroxyapatite coatings

In order to prepare densely packed hydroxyapatite (HAp) coating onto titanium substrate through electrophoretic deposition (EPD), it is highly desirable to produce stable HAp suspension. In this study, nano-HAp particles prepared by hydrothermal method were employed for EPD. The stability of HAp suspensions in various primary aliphatic alcohols (C1–C4) has been studied by measurement of sedimentation tests and electricity conductivity. Furthermore, to make a stable suspension, a dispersant [triethanolamine (TEA)] was added. Maximum stability is observed for the suspension containing n-butanol as the dispersion medium and TEA as the dispersant. The HAp coating deposited in this suspension was observed to be a crack-free and densely packed coating through scanning electron microscopy examination. The shear strength and nano-indention tests have confirmed the good adhesion between the coating and the substrate.