Interfacial Strength of Plasma-sprayed Hydroxyapatite Coatings

Both tensile and shear adhesion strength tests were performed to evaluate interfacial strength between hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium alloy substrates subjected to anodization and heat treatment prior to deposition as well as post-deposition heat treatment. Results of the tensile adhesion strength tests were influenced by the size of the blasting media and the processing of pre- and post-heat treatments but not influenced by anodization. The finite element method (FEM) analysis of stress distribution during the shear adhesion strength test was also performed to evaluate the degree of stress singularity. The results show that the stress singularity parameters were dominant factors of stress distribution in the stress singularity fields, and they were also expected to influence the “essential” interfacial strength. In addition, the size of the blasting media had the same influence on the shear and tensile adhesion strength tests. This suggests the possibility of estimating tensile adhesion strength using the results of shear adhesion strength.