Nanocrystalline structure of the surface layer of plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coatings obtained upon preliminary induction heat treatment of metal base

Biocompatible nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings for intrabone titanium implants have been obtained by plasma spraying. The HA coatings have an average grain size within 10–30 nm and are characterized by improved characteristics of morphological heterogeneity that is acquired due to the induction heat treatment (IHT) of substrates prior to plasma spray deposition. Based on the data of scanning electron microscopy with computer-aided processing of images, it is established that the average grain size depends on the IHT temperature.