The effect of bioactive glass nanoparticles on corrosion barrier performance and bioactivity of zinc oxide coatings electrodeposited on Ti6Al4V substrate

Abstract

Zinc oxide coatings were electrodeposited on Ti6Al4V substrates from a nitrate bath with and without 1 wt% BG nanoparticles at −1.2 and −1.4 VAg/AgCl, where the former voltage created a spherical morphology, the latter developed a flower-like one. The spherical morphology was modified through the incorporation of BG nanoparticles, where surface roughness, wettability, and adhesion strength of the coating were enhanced. The coatings with spherical morphology also revealed complete barrier property after immersion in PBS solution. However, fully adverse effects were found for the coatings deposited at −1.4 VAg/AgCl. This indicates that morphology is the most important factor determining the properties of ZnO and ZnO-BG coatings. The highest corrosion barrier performance was achieved for the ZnO-BG composite coating with spherical morphology. Although the composite coating with flower-like morphology did not provide complete barrier property at short immersion times, it earned that at longer times due to the plugging supported by the BG nanoparticles. The bioactivity tests in SBF at long times showed that the formation of Ca-P deposits on the surface of the composite coatings was noticeably improved.