Hydroxyapatite/titania composite material was coated onto a titanium (pure Ti) substrate by sol-gel method. The hydroxyapatite ( HA) and titania (TiO2) sol were made from precursor and mixed together. The insertion of TiO2 enhanced the chemical affinity and the physical consistency between HA and Ti substrate. The HA/TiO2 composite coating adhered tightly to the Ti substrate. Owing to the insertion of TiO2, the crystallinity of HA has been delayed. The specimens with HA/TiO2 composite coatings were soaked into SBF, and displayed good bone-like apatite forming ability. The bioactivity of the composite HA coatings were tested in vitro by cell culture. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.