Calcium phosphate coating on magnesium alloy by biomimetic method: Investigation of morphology, composition and formation process

Abstract

Magnesium alloy has similar mechanical properties with natural bone and can degrade via corrosion in the electrolytic environment of the human body. Calcium phosphate has been proven to possess bioactivity and bone inductivity. In order to integrate both advantages, calcium phosphate coating was fabricated on magnesium alloy by a biomimetic method. Supersaturated calcification solutions (SCSs) with different Ca/P ratio and Cl− concentration were used as mimetic solutions. The morphology, composition and formation process of the coating were studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that a uniform calcium phosphate coating was observed on magnesium alloy, the properties of which could be adjusted by the SCSs with different Ca/P ratio. The formation process of the coating was explored by immersing magnesium alloy in SCSs with different Cl− concentration which could adjust the hydrogen production. According to SEM results, the hydrogen bubbles were associated with the formation of grass-like and flower-like coating morphologies. In conclusion, the biomimetic method was effective to form calcium phosphate coating on magnesium alloy and the morphology and composition of the coating could be accommodated by the Ca/P ratio and Cl− concentration in SCSs.