Electrophoretic Deposition of Chitosan–Hydroxyapatite Films and Their Electrochemical Behavior in Artificial Plasma

Abstract

The electrochemical behavior of chitosan–hydroxyapatite films deposited on Ti CP was evaluated. Hydroxyapatite was synthesized from eggshell at different precipitation pH conditions. The films were deposited on the Ti CP surface from chitosan–hydroxyapatite solutions by means of electrophoretic deposition. The hydroxyapatite content of the solutions varied from 0 to 20 g/L. The different films obtained were evaluated by means of electrochemical measurements such as polarization curves, open circuit potential measurements, polarization resistance, and electrochemical impedance. The results obtained showed that regardless of the precipitation pH, it is possible to obtain pure hydroxyapatite from a waste such as eggshell. The incorporation of hydroxyapatite within the chitosan structure allows for improvement of the electrochemical performance of the bare Ti CP surface. It was observed that the passive zone was achieved at lower current densities, and that the stability zone of the passive layer increased. Electrochemical impedance analyzes showed that there is an improvement in corrosion resistance due to a more controlled growth of the passive layer that allows for the formation of a dense and compact film.

Keywords

• chitosan
• hydroxyapatite
• composite
• titanium
• electrophoretic deposition
• artificial plasma