The Electrophoretic Deposition of Bioglass®/Carbon Nanotube composite layers for bioactive coatings

Abstract

The feasibility of using Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) to produce Carbon Nanotube (CNT) films on 45S5 Bioglass® coatings deposited on stainless steel substrates was investigated. The optimal experimental conditions were determined using a trial-and-error approach by varying the relevant EPD parameters. SEM observations confirmed that sequential EPD led to the formation of thick (up to 40µm) and uniform Bioglass® coatings covering the metallic substrate entirely and a porous network of CNTs ordered uniformly on the Bioglass® structure. The novel bioactive and nanostructured composite coatings are intended for applications in the biomedical field (ortophaedic implants and bone tissue engineering scaffolds).