Photoluminescence in the characterization and early detection of biomimetic bone-like apatite formation on the surface of alkaline-treated titanium implant: State of the art

► A detectable biomimetic apatite layer was formed on the surface of alkaline-treated titanium implants early after immersion in SBF solution. ► The XRD patterns of the alkaline-treated titanium samples after immersion in SBF solution showed that before 3 days of immersion there is no detectable apatite peak clearly, however, the SEM observations showed that after the first day of immersion biomimetic apatite nanocrystals were formed. ► Early after immersion of titanium samples in the SBF solution, a broad emission peak centered at 592.5 nm was observed for biomimetic apatites as a function of exposure time, and the normalized PL intensity increased as the exposure time increased.