ABSTRACT
Nanocoatings present the possibility of altering the surface properties of medical-grade materials to achieve improvements in biocompatibility, reliability, and performance. Sol-gel processing is a versatile and attractive technique since it can be used to fabricate ceramic coatings from solutions by chemical means. The sol-gel process is relatively easy to perform, and complex shapes can be coated, and it has also been demonstrated that the nanocrystalline grain structure of sol-gel coatings produced results in improved mechanical properties. 12.1 IntroductionA material containing delicate structures and sizes that fall within the range of 1 nm to 100 nm is referred to as a nanostructured material.
