Advances in biomedical applications of PEO coatings

Abstract

There are a series of metallic materials such as magnesium, zinc, titanium, and their alloys, considered biomaterials due to their properties, which are very interesting for certain biomedical applications in traumatology, cardiology, dentistry, etc. However, these materials present a series of disadvantages that prevent their more widespread use in biomedicine. Due to the particularities of the coatings generated on metallic substrates through the technique of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), such as the ease of controlling the composition and the addition of particles, their intrinsic porosity, etc., certain aspects can be improved or even new properties can be provided, such as improved biocompatibility, control of the degradation rate of biomaterials when implanted in a biological medium, or the possibility of endowing these materials with bactericidal and antimicrobial properties to reduce the probability of nosocomial infections. This chapter explores all these possibilities, showing the latest advances in the use of PEO coatings for biomedical applications.