Laser cladding of bioactive glass coatings

Laser cladding by powder injection has been used to produce bioactive glass coatings on titanium alloy 21 (Ti6Al4V) substrates. Bioactive glass compositions alternative to 45S5 Bioglass were demonstrated to 22 exhibit a gradual wetting angle–temperature evolution and therefore a more homogeneous deposition 23 of the coating over the substrate was achieved. Among the different compositions studied, the S520 bio- 24 active glass showed smoother wetting angle–temperature behavior and was successfully used as precur- 25 sor material to produce bioactive coatings. Coatings processed using a Nd:YAG laser presented calcium 26 silicate crystallization at the surface, with a uniform composition along the coating cross-section, and 27 no significant dilution of the titanium alloy was observed. These coatings maintain similar bioactivity 28 to that of the precursor material as demonstrated by immersion in simulated body fluid.Peer reviewe