Early apatite deposition and osteoblast growth on plasma-sprayed dicalcium silicate coating

Dicalcium silicate coating was deposited onto a Ti-6Al-4V substrate using plasma-spraying technology. The coating was immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h to investigate early apatite formation on the coating. Osteoblasts were also seeded onto the surface of the dicalcium silicate coating to evaluate its biocompatibility. Cold field-emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry were used to evaluate the morphologies and determine the chemical composition of the coatings. The surface structural changes caused by immersion in SBF were analyzed using thin-film X-ray diffraction. After the dicalcium silicate coating was soaked in SBF solution 1-6 h, two types of particles containing calcium and phosphorus were formed on the surface. One type consisted of relatively larger particles (P1) precipitated on the surface of the coating from the precursor cluster formed in the SBF solution. The second type was composed of particles (P2) nucleated on the surface of the coating. With increasing immersion time, the particles coalesced to form a surface Ca-P layer. The Ca-P layer was composed of amorphous calcium phosphate that was not transformed to crystalline apatite until the immersion time in SBF exceeded 24 h. The formation mechanism of the Ca-P layer and apatite on the surface of the coating is believed to be involved in the formation of the Si 3-ring active surface site with negative charge. The cell-seeding test revealed that osteoblasts grew and proliferated very well on the surface of the dicalcium silicate coating.