1 - Role of ceramics and ceramic coatings in biomedical applications

Abstract

Surface engineering through ceramic surface coating of bioimplants is an emerging technology toward biodegradability. Ceramic coatings generated by various means are tailored for different applications and serve as an excellent strategy against corrosion, cytotoxicity, chemical, and mechanical deterioration. Ceramic biomedical coatings are proven to have superior antiwear, mechanical, and chemical properties and hence qualify to be one of the important areas of material science engineering. These materials unlock new approaches to manufacture medical devices and therefore are expected to revolutionize the healthcare delivery system. This chapter systematically outlines different aspects of ceramic coatings for biomedical applications using the literature survey of the recent years with respect to composition, structural features, microstructure, functional characteristics, methods of coating, electrochemical properties, and working mechanism. It also introduces the reader to knowledge gaps and future challenges in architecting and implementing such durable ceramic coating. Growing research interest in this area holds great promise toward the economic feasibility for fabricating ceramic coatings.