Structural and chemical study of β–Tricalcium phosphate-chitosan coatings

Abstract The alternative biomaterials β–Tricalcium phosphate and chitosan, which guarantee good electrochemical behavior and bioactivity, have been used as coatings deposited on metallic substrates to avoid corrosion and its harmful biological effect. In this current research, the tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) coatings were obtained by electrochemical process (electrodeposition). The coatings obtained on the 316L stainless steel metal substrates (surgical grade) were functionalized in relation to the increase of the chitosan content (Ch). Therefore, structural, chemical and morphological changes in the conjugate complex (β-TCP-Ch) could be determined by molecular simulation. Structural changes of β-TCP-Ch coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Also, the effect of inclusion and increase of chitosan percentage was analyzed using the full width at half maximum (FWHM) applied to preferential peak (0018), oriented at 2θ = 43.6°. Likewise, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), were performed to determine and analyze changes in ceramic material due to chitosan inclusion. Chemical changes as a function of the increase of temperature was studied by thermogravimetry (TGA). The different characterizations of the β-TCP-Ch coatings showed the impact of Chitosan, such as functionalizing the system in the coating's crystallinity, and the surface morphology. In this sense, with the increase of Chitosan the coatings turned out to be homogeneous and crack-free. Taking in account the last results, the functionalization of β—TCP with the increase of Ch content deposited on 316L Stainless Steel indicates that the coatings might be a promising material in biomedical uses.