Preparation and investigation of porous chitosan/carbon nanotube biocomposite coating by space holder method

Abstract

For implants that can be used instead of bone, a porous chitosan/carbon nanotube biocomposite coating on the titanium surface was produced by the spacer holder method. Different chemical contents and varying amounts of space-holding material were studied. Carbon nanotube fibers and pore distributions are homogeneously dispersed in the biopolymer chitosan matrix. NaCl was used as a space holder, and the rate of space holder was increased by 90 % to obtain a trabecular bone-like structure successfully. By increasing the amount of spacer in the coating content from 0.45 g to 0.90 g, the pore size has reached from approximately 1-3 & mu;m to 12 & mu;m. XRD, FTIR, and Raman analysis interpreted the characterization of the coatings. With the addition of carbon nanotubes to the chitosan matrix coating, the stiffness and elastic modulus increased by 55 % and 80 %, respectively. The elastic modulus (12 GPa) of the chitosan/carbon nanotube composite coating is compatible with that of cortical bone. The surface roughness of the chitosan/carbon nanotube coating reached from 1 to 6 & mu;m to 6-16 & mu;m, forming a porous structure. The surface properties of the porous biocomposite coating are promising for or-thopedic implant applications.