Atmospheric plasma spray coating of antibacterial nano silver-hydroxyapatite on titanium surface for biomedical applications

In this paper, the nanosilver particles were deposited onto the hydroxyapatite (HAP) microparticles and the obtained nanoAg-HAP particles were coated onto the Ti metal surface using the atmospheric plasma spray method. Then, the obtained nanoAg-HAP coating on Ti substrate was annealed at 700(degrees)C. The antibacterial activities of the nanoAg-HAP coatings on Ti were also tested against the microorganisms. The prepared nanoAg-HAP particles were examined using the optic microscopy, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, XRD and the UV-vis. absorption spectroscopy methods. The nanoAg particles exhibited crystalline spherical morphologies with the particle sizes below 30 nm. In the FE-SEM-EDS measurements, well distribution of nanoAg particles on the HAP microparticles were observed with Ag concentrations of 0.153% and 0.313%. The HR-TEM measurements showed that the nanoAg particles have hexagonal close packing (hcp) crystal structure with the d-spacing values of 0.23 nm (111), 0.21 nm (002) and 0.14 nm (022). After 700 degrees C heat treatment, the prepared nanoAg-HAP coating on Ti metal showed 100% antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. epidermidis bacteria. As a result, the obtained nanoAg-HAP coated Ti metal can be utilized effectively as a self-disinfecting biomedical implant material in the orthopedic bone repairing of the body parts. [GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT]