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Wear–Corrosion Resistance of DLC/CoCrMo System for Medical Implants with Different Surface Finishing

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Abstract

The field of medical implants in the human body is a growing area with diverse tribological aspects. This application field has its own specific characteristics, dominated by stringent quality requirements due to the human suffering and sometimes life-threatening consequences of a surface failing to fulfil its required function. Combined wear–corrosion tests could provide more complete information about the implant behaviour in the aggressive body environment than separate wear and corrosion testing. Combined wear–corrosion experiments were performed using a reciprocating ball-on-plate apparatus equipped with an electrochemical cell. Untreated CoCrMo alloy samples as well as diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated samples were used as plate. The DLC coatings were tested with three different surface finishes: as-deposited, polished with diamond and brushed. All DLC coated samples with and without mechanical finishing had lower corrosion activity under wear–corrosion conditions and also smaller wear tracks when compared with the CoCrMo alloy. The current density for the coated alloy was about two orders of magnitude lower on average (10−5 vs. 10−3 A cm−2) and had a final coefficient of friction of only 50% of the uncoated metal (0.15 vs. 0.3). The brushed DLC showed the lowest current density and its behaviour was better than polished DLC and DLC as-deposited up to a potential of +0.93 V.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institut/IPA Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung, Nobelstrasse 12, Stuttgart, 70569, Germany

    C. B. Santos, H. Holeczek & M. Metzner

  2. Fraunhofer USA/CCL Center for Coatings and Laser Applications B100 Engineering Research Complex, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1226, USA

    L. Haubold & M. Becker

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  1. C. B. Santos
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  2. L. Haubold
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Correspondence to C. B. Santos.

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Santos, C.B., Haubold, L., Holeczek, H. et al. Wear–Corrosion Resistance of DLC/CoCrMo System for Medical Implants with Different Surface Finishing. Tribol Lett 37, 251–259 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-009-9501-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-009-9501-z

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