BIOACTIVE SURFACE LAYER, PARTICULARLY FOR MEDICAL IMPLANTS AND PROSTHESES

摘要

A bioactive surface layer is provided, which may be used in a medical implant or a prosthesis. The bioactive surface layer is preferably applied to a valve metal or alloy thereof, or a barrier-forming metal coating. A bioactive surface layer comprising, a metal oxide portion in an amount of 25 to 95 atomic percent of a metallic base material and a variable proportion consisting of calcium phosphate phases, wherein the layer is porous, has a thickness of between 0.1 and 50.0 µm and further comprises amorphous or nanocrystalline calcium phosphates having a Ca/P ratio in a range of between 0.5 and 2.0 over the surface layer; wherein the Ca-ions and PO4-ions are embedded in the surface layer and distributed over the metal oxide portion; a pore density on the surface layer is between 10 4 and 10 8 pores/mm2; and the amorphous or nanocrystalline calcium phosphates are provided in an amount of 1 to 40 volume % of the total surface layer.