Fast deposition of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite into additive manufactured titanium porous structures.

This paper reports the results of a study aimed to deposit a biomimetic apatitic coating on the porous surface of Ti alloy acetabular cups, produced with AM techniques. To this purpose, we utilized a slight supersaturated Ca/P solution at physiological values of pH and temperature. The results of the XRD, SEM and EDS investigation indicate the 6 h immersion in the calcifying solution are sufficient to provoke the deposition of a uniform coating of poor crystalline apatite on the surface and inside the porous structure of the substrates.