Thermal Spray in Biomedical Applications
The primary application of thermally sprayed coatings in medicine concerns coatings on prostheses. The prostheses are made of bio-inert materials, such as stainless steel, CoCrMo alloy or TiAlV alloy.
The prostheses, which are coated today, are those of:
The prostheses, which are coated today, are those of:
- Hip
- Knee
- Arm
- Tooth
Bio-inert coatings should fulfil the following requirements;
- A large porosity, in order to enlarge the surface of the prosthesis
- Biocompatibility and stability in the body
- Reasonably good adhesion to the prosthesis
- The coating must not become detached after ‘in-growth’ of the bone.