Carbon Nanotubes-Reinforced Bioceramic Composite: An Advanced Coating Material For Orthopedic Applications

In recent years, metallic implants have become essential therapeutic tools in orthopedic applications. Despite a large number of metallic implants, titanium is the most significant components used in orthopedic implant devices due to their reliable mechanical behavior as replacement for hard tissues. In order to improve the bone implant contact, a bioceramic coating is fabricated over metallic implant. For this purpose, an advanced composite material with enhanced mechanical and biological properties is developed over the metallic implants. This chapter presents the development of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-reinforced bioceramic [hydroxyapatite (HAP) and mineralized HAP (MHAP)] composite coating over titanium for biomedical applications. HAP has been widely used as a coating material for orthopedic applications due to its chemical similarity with natural bone mineral and capability to promote bone regeneration. Though it has many applications, its poor tensile strength and fracture toughness make it unsuitable for major load-bearing applications. CNTs have excellent mechanical properties and unique structural properties, good biocompatibility, and less toxicity that categorized them as outstanding reinforcement materials for HAP. Thus, CNTs-reinforced HAP and MHAP coatings on titanium using electrodeposition method and pulsed electrodeposition are developed with enhanced mechanical, corrosion resistance, and biological properties for orthopedic applications.