Microstructural characterisation of air plasma sprayed nanostructure ceramic coatings on Mg–1%Ca alloys (bonded by NiCoCrAlYTa alloy)

Nanostructured composite ceramic coatings consisting of Al2O3–13%TiO2 and Al2O3–13%TiO2/TiO2 on NiCoCrAlYTa-coated Mg alloys were sprayed using the atmospheric plasma spraying method. The composition and microstructure of the coated samples were investigated by XRD and FESEM equipped with EDS. Corrosion and wear behaviours of the coated samples were also evaluated. The results showed that Al2O3–13%TiO2/TiO2 coating is able to reduce the anodic dissolution of the Mg alloy in chloride solutions compared to other samples. The surface of the Al2O3–13%TiO2/TiO2 coating with the lowest wear rate exhibited a typical mild wear mode with narrow wear tracks along with very few small transferred particles. This observation was mainly related to the dense structure of the TiO2 coating, which could reduce severe spalling within the splats during the wear test

Solid-State Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing of Ni-Based Superalloys: Processing–Microstructure–Property Relationships

Ni-based superalloys have been extensively employed in the aerospace field because of their excellent thermal and mechanical stabilities at high temperatures. With these advantages, many sought to study the influence of fusion-reliant additive manufacturing (AM) techniques for part fabrication/reparation. However, their fabrication presents many problems related to the melting and solidification defects from the feedstock material. Such defects consist of oxidation, inclusions, hot tearing, cracking, and elemental segregation. Consequentially, these defects created a need to discover an AM technique that can mitigate these disadvantages. The cold spray (CS) process is one additive technique that can mitigate these issues. This is largely due to its cost-effectiveness, low temperature, and fast and clean deposition process. However, its effectiveness for Ni-based superalloy fabrication and its structural performance has yet to be determined. This review aimed to fill this knowledge gap in two different ways. First, the advantages of CS technology for Ni-based superalloys compared with thermal-reliant AM techniques are briefly discussed. Second, the processing–structure–property relationships of these deposits are elucidated from microstructural, mechanical, and tribological (from low to high temperatures) perspectives. Considering the porous and brittle defects of CS coatings, a comprehensive review of the post-processing techniques for CS-fabricated Ni superalloys is also introduced. Based on this knowledge, the key structure-property mechanisms of CS Ni superalloys are elucidated with suggestions on how knowledge gaps in the field can be filled in the near future

Synthesis and in-vitro performance of nanostructured monticellite coating on magnesium alloy for biomedical applications

Biodegradable magnesium alloy was coated by nanostructured monticellite (Mon; CaMgSiO4) through electrophoretic deposition (EPD) coupled with plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) with the purpose of enhancing the corrosion properties, bioactivity, and cytocompatibility. The monticellite layer with a thickness of 15 μm and strong adhesion with the PEO coated Mg alloy is able to provide the corrosion protection for the Mg substrate. Microstructural analysis depicted that the monticellite coatings were homogeneous with no obvious cracks or pinholes on the surface of PEO coated Mg alloy. The electrochemical tests in SBF exhibited that the corrosion rate of the Mg alloy was considerably reduced after preparation of monticellite layer on its surface. Furthermore, high impedance of the monticellite coated Mg alloy was observed even after 96 h of incubation in SBF. The apatite layer with spherical morphology was formed on the monticellite surface via interaction of OH− ions from SBF which could accelerate the healing process. The biocompatibility was evaluated via examination of the osteoblastic MG-63 cells response in-vitro. Deposition of nanostructured monticellite induces high osteoblastic proliferation and supplies suitable sites for cell attachment and growth. The cell adhesion and viability are also determined to evaluate the biological response. Moreover, biphasic drug release graphs of the monticellite coating containing tetracycline show an initial immediate release which is followed by more stable release patterns. Overall, it is anticipated that the novel proposed nanostructured coatings of monticellite can improve the corrosion resistance and cytocompatability of the Mg alloys, which make it useful for orthopedic implants

Fabrication and corrosion behavior of Si/HA nano-composite coatings on biodegradable Mg-Zn-Mn-Ca alloy

In this study, nano-silicon (Si) thin films were deposited on biodegradable Mg-6Zn-0.8Mn-3Ca substrates by physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. Subsequently, nano-hydroxyapatite (HA) was coated as a second layer on the nano-Si film using electrochemical deposition (ED). The surface morphology and the corrosion behavior of the composite coatings were evaluated using scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, potentiodynamic polarization tests and immersion tests. The Si/HA nano-composite coating, with an average particle size of 72. nm, represented a uniform and dense film consisting of HA as the outer layer (8-10. μm) and Si as the inner layer (1.5-2. μm). However, some micropores and microflaws were observed in the Si thin film. The polarization test indicated that Si/HA coating could efficiently reduce the corrosion rate of Mg alloy in simulated body fluid from 2.57 to 0.12. mm/year. However, only moderate reduction in corrosion rate was observed in the case of single layer nano-Si coating. Hydrogen evolution studies showed greater reduction in degradation rate of Si/HA and Si coated samples, compared to uncoated alloy. Immersion test showed the formation of apatite layer on the surface of Si/HA film after immersion in SBF that resulted in noticeable improvement of bioactivity

TGO formation with nicocralyta bond coat deposition using aps and HVOF method

Formation of thin and continuous layer of thermally grown oxide (TGO) in thermal barrier coating (TBC) are essential in order to avoid coating failure for high temperature applications. As-sprayed high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) bond coat can provide more uniform TGO layer in TBC system and much less oxide compare to air plasma spray (APS). In this paper, both APS and HVOF method are used to deposit NiCoCrAlYTa bond coat on Inconel 625 substrate followed by topcoat, YSZ deposition. Pre-oxidation process was done in normal oxygen furnace at 1000°C for 12 to 24 hours to study the characteristic of TGO formation via these two different methods. From the result obtained, it shows that HVOF method provide better TGO formation as compared to APS

Antibacterial activity and in vivo wound healing evaluation of polycaprolactone-gelatin methacryloyl-cephalexin electrospun nanofibrous

Infections, particularly those induced via drug resistant pathogens, can cause serious issues in wound healing process. In this study, cephalexin (CEX), as an effective antibiotic, was loaded into polycaprolactone (PCL)-gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) nanofibrous by electrospinning for the development of a new wound dressing. The electrospun nanofibrous possessed continuous and smooth structure with the fiber diameters ranging from 280 to 330 nm. Swelling examination exhibited that the electrospun nanofibrous could take up water by 400–600%. Antibacterial activity of PCL/GelMA loading with CEX had a great inhibition towards both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and negative-bacteria Escherichia coli. The hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome (MT) staining results from treated wounds with PCL/GelMA-CEX nanofibrous exhibited improved re-epithelialization and collagen deposition. Taken together, our study illustrate the PCL/GelMA-CEX nanofibrous can be promising for use as an effective antibacterial wound dressing in skin regeneration

Coating biodegradable magnesium alloys with electrospun poly-L-lactic acid-åkermanite-doxycycline nanofibers for enhanced biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, and corrosion resistance

Magnesium alloys are attracting increasing attention for orthopedic applications on account of their superior biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, such applications have been limited by their high degradation rate and inadequate antibacterial performance. The present study illustrates the use of a poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)-åkermanite (AKT)-doxycycline (DOXY) nanofiber coating, created using the electrospinning method, to enhance the corrosion resistance, antibacterial performance, and cytocompatibility of Mg alloys. The experimental results show the PLLA-based nanofiber coatings are smooth and uniform with fiber diameters ranging from 300 to 350 nm. PLLA nanofibers containing AKT have a higher bonding strength (11.8 MPa) than PLLA nanofibers, owing to the significant effect of AKT on the PLLA structure. An in vitro drug release profile of PLLA-AKT nanofibers containing DOXY shows that the nanofibers allow rapid release of drug in the initial stage to provide antibacterial effects as well as sustained release over the long term to prevent infection. The implants coated with PLLA-AKT nanofibers containing DOXY have excellent antibacterial performance against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 12600) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, ATCC 9637) bacteria; those coated with PLLA and PLLA-AKT without DOXY have poor antibacterial performance. Cytotoxicity tests show that PLLA and PLLA-AKT nanofiber coatings considerably enhance the cytocompatibility of Mg alloys, while incorporation of a high concentration of DOXY (10% wt.) into the PLLA-AKT coating has adverse effects on cytocompatibility. Thus, PLLA-AKT nanofiber coatings containing low concentrations of DOXY can be employed to control the degradation rate and enhance the antibacterial performance and biocompatibility of Mg alloys as applied to bone infection treatments. The results of this study represent essential information to direct the development of future orthopedic applications

Enhancement of corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of Mg–1.2Ca–2Bi via a hybrid silicon-biopolymer coating system

In this work, a hybrid dual layer surface coating consisting of a silicon (Si) underlayer and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) overlayer was investigated that was designed to reduce the corrosion rates of magnesium-based biomaterials. The Si underlayer was 1.2 μm thick and composed of spherical nanoparticles. The overlayer of PCL was 75.2 μm thick and comprised network of pores. Corrosion-induced reduction of the compressive strength of a Si/PCL-coated Mg–Ca–Bi alloy was lower than that of the uncoated or Si layer-coated alloys. However, the bonding strength of the Si coating (24.6 MPa) was significantly higher than that of the Si/PCL-coated samples (6.8 MPa). The Si/PCL coating dramatically enhances the charge transfer resistance of the Mg alloy (2.11 kΩ cm2) in simulated body fluid when compared with a Si-coated sample (2265.12 kΩ cm2). Si/PCL coatings are considered a promising route to control the corrosion rate and mechanical properties of Mg-based biomaterials

Fabrication, degradation behavior and cytotoxicity of nanostructured hardystonite and titania/hardystonite coatings on Mg alloys

In this study, nanostructured hardystonite (HT) and titania (TiO2)/hardystonite (HT) dual-layered coatings were deposited on biodegradable Mg-Ca-Zn alloy via physical vapor deposition (PVD) combined with electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Although a single layer nano-HT coating can decrease the corrosion rate from 1.68 to 1.02 mm/year, due to the presence of porosities and microcracks, the nano-HT layer cannot sufficiently protect the Mg substrate. In contrast, the corrosion resistance of nano-HT coating is further improved by using nano-TiO2 underlayer since it was a smooth, very uniform and compact layer with higher contact angle (52.30°). In addition, the MTT assay showed the viability of MC3T3-E1 on the nano-HT and nano-TiO2/HT coatings. The results demonstrated that the two-step surface modification improved both corrosion resistance and the cytocompatibility of the Mg alloy, hence making it feasible for orthopedic applications