Surface Modification of Bio-Active Ceramic (Artificial Bone) by Ion Implantation

Glass-ceramics (A-W) containing apatite and wollastonite phases have been developed that show good bio-compatibility and rapidly form chemical bonds with living bone. The glass-ceramic (A-W) was implanted with 200 keV Zr and Ar ions at doses of 1E15 to 1E17 ions/sq.cm. It was found that the Zr ion implantation was effective for obtaining high mechanical strength in simulated body fluid. The increase of the mechanical strength can be considered to be due to the formation of Zr and O bonds by ion implantation. The bioactivity of the implanted ceramics remained, and was improved after soaking in the simulated body fluid. In the case of Ar ion implantation, the fracture strength was not improved. However, the bioactivity was strong and improved with increase of the time soaked in the simulated body fluid.