Surface modification methods of ceramic filler in ceramic-carbon fibre composites for bioengineering applications – A systematic review

The present review paper focuses on the current state of the art of the alumina-silicate ceramics and surface modifications of ceramics dedicated as fillers in composites with carbon fiber. The use of aluminum-silicates in the form of a cenosphere due to their outstanding properties, i.e., low density, high hardness, and total chemical inertness seem to be promising in biomaterial engineering applications. First of all, the possibilities of the composites application in orthopedic and prosthetic implantology. The following section discusses problems with the use of aluminum silicate ceramics and their processing. Subsequently, in the paragraphs to follow, the possibilities of modifying the surface with chemical methods are discussed, among others oxidation, chemical methods like ionic liquids etching, silanization, and physical processes i.e., thermal treatment. In the summary, the directions of development of ceramic-carbon fiber composites and the primary deficiencies of these composites on which to focus on and solve are discussed.