Preparation and characterization of RF magnetron sputtered calcium pyrophosphate coatings

Abstract CaP ceramic has been widely used as coating on metals in orthopedics and oral dentistry. Variations in CaP composition can lead to different dissolution/precipitation behavior and may also affect the bone response. In the present study calcium pyrophosphate and hydroxylapatite coatings were successfully prepared by RF magnetron sputtering deposition. The phase composition, morphological properties, and the dissolution in SBF were characterized by using XRD, FTIR, EDS, SEM, and spectrophotometry. The results showed that all the sputtered coatings were amorphous and changed into a crystal structure after IR‐radiation. The temperature for the crystallization of the amorphous coatings is lower for the hydroxylapatite coating (550°C), compared to the calcium pyrophosphate coating (650°C). All sputtered amorphous coatings were instable in SBF and dissolved partially within 4 wks of incubation. The heat‐treated coatings appeared to be stable after incubation. These results showed that magnetron sputtering of calcium pyrophosphate coating is a promising method for forming a biocompatible ceramic coating. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006