| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1657208 | Surface and Coatings Technology | 2015 | 7 Pages |
•HAp/ZrO2 composite coatings were characterized at different content of ZrO2.•Incorporating ZrO2 improves corrosion and in-vitro behavior of HAp coating.•Function of ZrO2 is dependent on ZrO2 content and distribution in the coating.
HAp and HAp/ZrO2 composite coatings were successfully electrodepesited on 316L stainless steel substrates in the solutions containing ZrO2 particles at different concentrations. The effects of ZrO2 content on characteristics of the coatings were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and bonding strength test. Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were carried out in order to evaluate corrosion behavior of the coatings. In-vitro test in SBF and further SEM observations were performed to examine bioactivity of the coatings. HAp/ZrO2 composite coatings showed better electrochemical behavior and higher bonding strength than pure HAp owing to higher crystallinity and less porosity in microstructure. Additionally, it was found that the function of ZrO2 is highly dependent on the content and uniformity of ZrO2 dispersion in microstructure. The least corrosion rate and bonding strength were obtained at ZrO2 concentration of 10 g/L, in which corrosion resistance of the composite coating was improved 30 times and bonding strength between the coating and the substrate increased from 11.6 MPa in pure HAp to 20.8 MPa in composite coatings.
