Silvia Panzavolta | PubMed Health

PubMed2005

Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium: a new fast biomimetic method.

We obtained a fast biomimetic deposition of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings on Ti6Al4V substrates using a slightly supersaturated Ca/P solution, with an ionic composition simpler than that of simulated body fluid (SBF). At variance with other fast deposition methods, which produce amorphous calcium phosphate coatings, the new proposed composition allows one to obtain nanocrystalline HA. Soaking in supersaturated Ca/P solution results in the deposition of a uniform coating in a few hours, whereas SBF, or even 1.5SBF, requires 14 days to deposit a homogeneous coating on the same substrates. The coating consists of HA globular aggregates, which exhibit a finer lamellar structure than those deposited from SBF. The extent of deposition increases on increasing the immersion time. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images recorded on the material detached from the coating show that the deposition is constituted of thin nanocrystals. Electron diffraction (ED) patterns recorded from most of the crystals exhibit the presence of rings, which can be indexed as reflections characteristic of HA. Furthermore, several HA single-crystal spot ED images were obtained from individual crystals.

Alloys↗

PubMed2003

Structural differences between "dark" and "bright" isolated human osteonic lamellae.

This investigation presents new insights into the structure of human secondary lamellae. Lamellar specimens that appear dark and bright on alternate osteon transverse sections under circularly polarizing light were isolated using a new technique, and examined by polarizing light microscopy, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and confocal microscopy. A distribution of unidirectional collagen bundles and of two overlapping oblique bundles appears on circularly polarizing light microscopy images in relation to the angle between the specimen and the crossed Nicols' planes. The unidirectional collagen bundles observed at 45 degrees run parallel to the osteon axis in the dark lamellar specimens and perpendicular to it in the bright ones. Small and wide-angle micro-focus X-ray diffraction indicates that the dark lamellae are structurally quite homogeneous, with collagen fibers and apatite crystals preferentially oriented parallel to the osteon axis. Bright lamellar specimens exhibit different orientation patterns with the dominant ones bidirectional at +/-45 degrees with respect to the osteon axis. Accordingly, confocal microscopy evidences the presence of longitudinal bundles in dark lamellar specimens and oblique bundles in the bright ones. Radial bundles are evidenced in both lamellar types. The alternate osteon structure is described by a rather continuous multidirectional pattern, in which dark and bright lamellae display different mechanical and possibly biological functions.

Adult↗