Plasma coating

The bone adapts to the roughness of its holes

Plasma coating

Rough and porous surface at the same time

The plasma coating is carried out by means of thermal spray. It is a technology used in the manufacture of parts that consists of spraying small hot, molten or semi-molten particles to adhere them to a surface.

The purpose is to create a surface treatment for parts that are going to be subject to extreme friction, wear, heat or, as in our case, to promote bone integration. Its use is very common in the medical-pharmaceutical sector where it is used to cover a piece or a specific part of the implant to promote osseointegration.

We carry out 3 types of plasma coating: Titanium, Hydroxyapatite or both (double layer Titanium + HA).

Rough plasma coating on surgical implant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUwLDMD2CyA
How we do it

Plasma spray gun Coating

Titanium (Ti) coating

Rough coating on implant with Titanium

Specifications

The Titanium plasma coating generates a rough and porous surface on which the bone will find a grip to fix the prosthesis.

The cementless implanted prosthesis requires these types of rough surfaces to create a tight junction between bone tissues and the implant. The Titanium coating is a rough and porous coating that once deposited on the implants allows:

  • Bone growth in the voids of the coating creating a firm fixation between the implant and the tissues.
  • Reduces pressure at the bone-implant interface (added value to typical characterization).
  • Porous Titanium coating
  • Porosity of 15% – 40%
  • Coating roughness > Rt 100 µm
  • Adhesion> 22 MPa
  • Excellent bond strength
  • Enhanced specific surface for osseointegration

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coating

Plasma coating with hydroxyapatite on surgical implant

Specifications

Hydoxyapatite (HA) is a calcium phosphate ceramic, which has the ability to accelerate the reconstruction of bone tissue on the surface of the metal implant providing a rapid bond. Being a bioactive material, the HA can integrate into bone structures and support their growth without breaking or dissolving.

This is due to chemical/biological bonding with hard tissues. Coating implants with HA facilitates the interaction between implant and body tissues to form living bone tissue. This is what we call bone integration.

Hydroxyapatite coatings enhance the growth of bone tissue through the pores of the coating, and offer good mechanical stability in the implant fixation process.

  • High crystallinity
  • Typical thickness from 50 to 100 µm
  • Tensile strength> 15 MPa
  • Shear strength> 15 MPa

Titanium + HA coating

Detail of plasma coating on implant with Ti + HA

Specifications

This double layer coating is the combination of Titanium and Hydroxyapatite, and combines advantages such as the roughness of Ti and the bioactivity of HA.

A thin layer of HA combined with a rough layer of Ti accelerates bone reconstruction on the implant surface, ensuring rapid bonding with bone tissues.

Added value for medical devices:

  • Cementless implant.
  • Plasma Titanium increases the roughness of the surface.
  • Improves adherence due to high crystallinity hydroxyapatite.
Advantages:

  • Allows bone growth in the voids of the structured interface.
  • Produces stable fixation.
  • Accelerates tissue growth in metal implants.

Would you like to have more information?

Contact Biovac if you have any questions. We will be pleased to help you.

More info