The primary application of thermally sprayed coatings in medicine concerns coatings on prostheses. The prostheses are made of bio-inert materials, such as stainless steel, CoCrMo alloy or TiAlV alloy.
Coated Prostheses:
Hip
Knee
Arm
Tooth
Bio-Inert Coating Requirements:
A large porosity, in order to enlarge the surface of the prosthesis
Biocompatibility and stability in the body
Reasonably good adhesion to the prosthesis
The coating must not become detached after ‘in-growth’ of the bone.