Preparation and investigation of porous chitosan/carbon nanotube biocomposite coating by space holder method

Abstract

For implants that can be used instead of bone, a porous chitosan/carbon nanotube biocomposite coating on the titanium surface was produced by the spacer holder method. Different chemical contents and varying amounts of space-holding material were studied. Carbon nanotube fibers and pore distributions are homogeneously dispersed in the biopolymer chitosan matrix. NaCl was used as a space holder, and the rate of space holder was increased by 90 % to obtain a trabecular bone-like structure successfully. By increasing the amount of spacer in the coating content from 0.45 g to 0.90 g, the pore size has reached from approximately 1–3 μm to 12 μm. XRD, FTIR, and Raman analysis interpreted the characterization of the coatings. With the addition of carbon nanotubes to the chitosan matrix coating, the stiffness and elastic modulus increased by 55 % and 80 %, respectively. The elastic modulus (12 GPa) of the chitosan/carbon nanotube composite coating is compatible with that of cortical bone. The surface roughness of the chitosan/carbon nanotube coating reached from 1 to 6 μm to 6–16 μm, forming a porous structure. The surface properties of the porous biocomposite coating are promising for orthopedic implant applications.