The titanium samples treated with plasma electrolytic oxidation only underwent preliminary testing to determine the range of conditions for further test. Once this is known we can move on to the electrolyte with calcium and phosphate ions, as explained previously, in order to be incorporated into the titanium matrix. These experiments will be performed towards the end of the semester and beginning of the spring semester 2009. Once the first samples are obtained, composition tests of the surface need to be performed to determine what type of oxide, anatase or rutile, is being formed and the composition of the bioactive coating. Experiments to determine the binding energy of the oxide layer must also be included for the same reasons mentioned previously. Also, tribological tests must be performed on the sample in order to determine the wear resistance of the design surface treatment.

          The objective of this study was to oxidize and coat the titanium alloys with hydroxyapatite in order to increase the osseointegration of the hip implants which in hand will decrease the micro-motions between the implant and bone interface, therefore decreasing the probability of implant loosening.The procedure chosen for this specific purpose is plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), which has shown to produce thin films with high adherence due to the phenomenology of the technique, plus it is cost-effective and can be adapted to complex geometries. Overall, the research is moving forward now that we have selected a procedure to oxidize and coat the titanium substrates that has shown to be quite promising, according to previous studies. This semester was spent on the setup and details of the procedure chosen. Next semester we hope to oxidize and coat many samples in order to do all the required testing.