Plasma Spraying of Combustion Flame Spheroidized Hydroxyapatite (HA) Powders

Tailoring powder characteristics to suit the plasma spray process can alleviate difficulties associated with the preparation of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings. Commercial HA feedstock normally exhibit an angular morphology and a wide particle size range that present difficulties in powder transport from the powder hopper to the plasma spray gun and in nonuniform melting of the powders in the plasma flame. Hence, combustion flame spheroidized hydroxyapatite (SHA) was used as the feedstock for plasma spraying. Spherical particles within a narrow particle size range are found to be more effective for the plasma spray processes. Results show coatings generated from spheroidized HA powders have unique surface and microstructure characteristics. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation of the coating surface revealed well-formed splats that spread and flatten into disc configurations with no disintegration, reflecting adequate melting of the HA in the plasma and subsequent deposition consistency. The surface topography is generally flat with good overlapping of subsequent spreading droplets. Porosity in the form of macropores is substantially reduced. The cross-section microstructure reveals a dense coating comprised of randomly stacked lamellae. The tensile bond strengths of the SHA coatings, phase composition, and characteristics of the coatings generated with different particle sizes (125 to 75 μm, 45 to 75 μm, 20 to 45 μm, and 5 to 20 μm) showed that a high bond strength of≃16 MPa can be obtained with SHA in the size range from 20 to 45 μm. This can be improved further by a postspray treatment by hot isostatic pressing (HIP). However, larger particle size ranges exhibited higher degrees of crystallinity and relatively higher HA content among the various calcium phosphate phases found in the coatings.