Preparation of Nanohydroxyapatite-Carbon Nanotube Composite Coatings on 316L Stainless Steel Using Electrophoretic Deposition

Nanohydroxyapatite-carbon nanotube composite coatings were deposited via electrophoretic deposition (EPD). AISI 316L stainless steel and ethanol were used as substrate and dispersing medium, respectively. 5%wt carbon nanotube (CNT) was used as reinforcing phase. Uniform and macrocrack-free coatings were obtained both for hydroxyapatite (HA) and HA-5%wt CNT coatings. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that most of microcracks in HA coating has eliminated after introducing CNT as reinforcing phase. The variation of deposit weight by time and voltage was measured both for HA and HA-5%wt CNT coatings. Thickness measurements revealed that for both coatings, the thickness increases with deposition voltage. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that HA has not decomposed after sintering at 850 ˚C for 2 hr in argon atmosphere. Prog. Color Colorants Coat. 5(2012), 47-53. © Institute for Color Science and Technology.