Sol-Gel SiO2-CaO-P2O5 biofilm with surface engineered for medical application

Sol-gel film in the SiO2-CaO-P2O5 system was prepared from TEOS, TEP, alcohol and hydrated calcium nitrate in an acidic medium. The coatings were deposited on stainless steel using the dip-coating technique. After deposition, the composite was submitted to heat treatment, at different temperatures and exposure times to investigate the influence of such parameters on the surface morphology of the composite. The coated surfaces were characterized by AFM, SEM and FTIR. The present study showed that the formation of different textures (an important parameter in implant fixation) could be controlled by temperature and time of heat treatment.