Coating Services

A Background in Medical Device Coatings

As osteocytes, osteoblasts and osteoclasts  are sensitive to interface characteristics like stiffness, roughness, chemical composition, and surface energy, implant surface properties are critical to success. A poorly optimized implant surface can trigger an inflammatory response, potentially leading to implant rejection or poor clinical outcomes. To address this, hydroxyapatite coatings are often applied to promote a strong implant surface-bone bond via the favourable cellular interactions from synthetic bone mineral on the device surface.

At BIO CERAMAT we supply a range of coating and preparation services to promote different degrees of osseointegration depending on the device. Our experienced coating team are highly skilled and have decades of specialist expertise in this area and can turn your complex production design into a HAp coated reality.

BIO CERAMAT: Advanced Hydroxyapatite Coating for Medical Implants

With over 10 years of expertise in HAp coatings, BIO CERAMAT specialises in bioactive coatings for orthopedic implants, supporting some of the longest-running commercially available devices. Over time we have refined our spraying technology, manufacturing processes, and HAp feedstock for optimum coating performance. Our flexible team of specialists excels in coating complex geometries, as demonstrated with out work coating 3D-printed veterinary joint replacements. BIO CERAMAT prides itself on it’s collaboration, working alongside customers on development projects to produce innovative, cost-effective solutions, supporting the next-generation medical devices.

We provide a fully validated hydroxyapatite coating service to ISO 13779-2 standards, including, specialist masking, validated grit blasting, and 100% rigorous final inspection before release and certification. Our commitment to quality ensures full traceability through our QMS.

Partnering with us grants you direct access to our experienced team at any stage of your product lifecycle. Regardless of coating volume, we value our customers highly, taking pride in our commitment to offer any future support required in your medical device development.

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Hydroxyapatite FAQ’s

What can I do with hydroxyapatite?

Hydroxyapatite is widely used in coatings on medical devices, bone void filling, bone cements, 3D printing, dentistry, toothpaste, chromatography, dermal fillers, biomedical research, drug delivery, gene therapy, heavy metal immobilisation and pollution control.

What’s the difference between hydroxyapatite and hydroxylapatite?

There is no difference between hydroxyapatite and hydroxylapatite. Both terms refer to Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2. Academics may prefer Hydroxy(l)apatite however Hydroxyapatite is also widely used. Hydroxyapatite can be abbreviated to (HA, HAp or CaHA).

Why is hydroxyapatite coated on medical devices?

Coating a metallic medical device with synthetic calcium hydroxyapatite combines the device’s load-bearing strength with a bioactive surface that mimics the mineral phase of natural bone. This triggers a stronger initial bone healing response and prevents the formation of a fibrotic interface between the implant and native bone. As a result, early bone formation is significantly improved, with stable anchorage created as new bone is deposited on the coating’s surface, forming strong mechanical bonds between the bone and implant. This provides secure implant fixation without the issues associated with bone cements. These bonds are long lasting as highly crystalline hydroxyapatite is considered insoluble in vivo and so the structural integrity of the coating is unaffected by cell activity over time.

How can hydroxyapatite be used in dermal fillers?

When selecting a material for dermal fillers, key considerations include inflammation, allergen risk, and longevity. Hydroxyapatite is exceptionally biocompatible, as it naturally occurs in the body, which both minimises inflammation and allergy risk in addition to being stable long-term in the body, resulting in longer-lasting therapeutic effects.
When implanted, hydroxyapatite stimulates fibroblasts through direct contact. In the dermis, this process has been shown to induce local collagen and elastin production, restoring viscoelasticity and rejuvenating the skin by reversing the extracellular matrix changes associated with aging.

How can hydroxyapatite be used outside the medical industry?

The mineral content of bone is not just structural in its functionality; it plays a critical role in maintaining ionic homeostasis in the body through ion exchange and substitution. Hydroxyapatite, with its dual acidic and basic adsorption sites, excellent ion-exchange properties, and high thermal stability, possesses chemical properties well suited to filtration and separation applications. It is widely used in chromatography for biomolecule separation and research shows promising potential in pollution treatment, battery separators, and biodiesel production catalysts.