Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) is promising for the processing of biomaterials because it enables the production of surfaces with adjustable composition and structure. In this work, aimed at the improvement of the bioactivity of titanium, PEO has been used to grow calcium phosphide coatings on titanium substrates. The effects of the addition of magnesium acetate to the electrolytes on the composition of the coatings produced during 120 s on Ti disks using bipolar voltage pulses and solutions of calcium and magnesium acetates and sodium glycerophosphate as electrolytes have been studied. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry with Rietveld refinement and profilometry were used to characterize the modified samples. Coatings composed of nearly 50 % of Mg-doped hydroxyapatite have been produced. In certain conditions up to 4% Mg can be incorporated into the coating without any observable significant structural modifications of the hydroxyapatite.

Cellulose is a polymer widely available in nature, however its applications may be restrict due to its hydrophilic character. The creation of hierarchical structures on the surface is one of the required factors to obtain the hydrophobicity of this material. In order to compare the morphological and chemical effects caused by the action of different gases in the creation of nanostructures on the cellulose surface, samples were exposed to oxygen (O2) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) plasma treatments. The changes in morphology after treatment prove that both the gases were able to create similar nanostructures in the material. The analysis of elemental composition and identification of functional groups on the sample surface showed that chemical modifications occurred differently for each treatment. Contact angle measurements revealed that samples treated by O2 plasma remained hydrophilic, whereas low receptivity to polar (θ > 120º) and non-polar (θ > 100º) liquids was observed for samples exposed to SF6 plasma.