FTIR study of electrochemically deposited hydroxyapatite coatings on carbon materials

Electrochemical deposition that consists of the induction of hydroxyapatite precipitation on a porous carbon cathode was studied. Ultrafine-grained deposits were synthesized by electrocrystallisation from dilute aqueous electrolytes containing calcium and phosphate ions, at the pH similar to5.5 and at relatively low temperature 60 or 85 degreesC. The phosphate deposits were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the composition and the morphology of phosphate deposits were influenced by the control of the physicochemical conditions of the process. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.