Trap state spectroscopy studies and wettability modification of hydroxyapatite nanobioceramics

Sintered hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium-based implants demonstrate beneficial biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. It has been shown that charged surface states and bulk traps located in the vicinity of the surface of the hydroxyapatite coatings strongly influence wettability properties of the hydroxyapatite and may modify biocompatibility of these nanostructured bioceramics. Combination of high-resolution electron state spectroscopy methods, thermostimulated exoelectron emission, and thermoluminescence methods, applied in this work, have allowed studying electron trap energy spectrum of the hydroxyapatite bioceramics. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.