Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanical Study of Novel VPS-Titanium Coating on Polyethylene Substrates

  • Peer Reviewed
  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Spray Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Thick metallic or ceramic functional coatings onto polymers are of great interest for different domains such as the aerospace and medical industries. A vacuum plasma spray process has been developed to produce coatings on high- and low-temperature melting polymers including PEEK and polyethylene. This study reports the first experimental characterization of the strength and adherence of such titanium coatings on medical grade polyethylene substrates. Four-point bending coupled to microscopic observations show the existence of a critical tensile strain of 1% corresponding to the onset of cracking in the coating. For strains up to 6%, the crack density increases without any noticeable debonding. Fatigue tests over 106 cycles reveal that under this critical strain the coating remains uncracked while above it, the cracks number and size remain stable with no noticeable coating detachment. A protocol for laser shock adhesion testing (LASAT®) was developed to characterize the coating-substrate adhesion and captured the existence of a debonding threshold. These results provide quantitative guides for the design of orthopedic implants for which such a titanium coating is used to enhance anchorage to bone tissues. More generally, they open the way for systematic measurements quantifying the adhesion of metallic coating onto polymer substrates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  1. S.M. Kurtz, UHMWPE Biomaterials Handbook: Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene in Total Joint Replacement and Medical Devices, 2nd ed., Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2009, p 1-543

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. G. Altankov, F. Grinnell, and T. Groth, Studies on the Biocompatibility of Materials: Fibroblast Reorganization of Substratum-Bound Fibronectin on Surfaces Varying in Wettability, J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 1996, 30(3), p 385-391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. J. Acero, J. Calderon, J.I. Salmeron, J.J. Verdaguer, C. Concejo, and M.L. Somacarrera, The Behavior of Titanium as a Biomaterial: Microscopy Study of Plates and Surrounding Tissues in Facial Osteosynthesis, J. Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surg., 1999, 27(2), p 117-123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. K. Anselme, Biomaterials and Interface with Bone, Osteoporos. Int., 2011, 22(6), p 2037-2042

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. G.J. Cruz, M.G. Olayo, E. Colin, J.C. Palacios, R. Lopez, E. Granda, A. Munoz, and R. Valencia, Metallic Layers Added by Plasma on Polyethylene, Prog. Org. Coat., 2009, 64(2-3), p 225-229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. D.M. Devine, J. Hahn, R.G. Richards, H. Gruner, R. Wieling, and S.G. Pearce, Coating of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polyetheretherketone Implants with Titanium to Improve Bone Apposition, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part B, 2013, 101(4), p 591-598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Gardon, A. Latorre, M. Torrell, S. Dosta, J. Fernández, and J.M. Guilemany, Cold Gas Spray Titanium Coatings onto a Biocompatible Polymer, Mater. Lett., 2013, 106, p 97-99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Gardon, H. Melero, N. Garcia-Giralt, S. Dosta, I.G. Cano, and J.M. Guilemany, Enhancing the Bioactivity of Polymeric Implants by Means of Cold Gas Spray Coatings, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part B, 2014, 00B, p 000-000

    Google Scholar 

  9. P. Fauchais, Understanding Plasma Spraying, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys., 2004, 37(9), p 86-108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. N. Aebli, J. Krebs, H. Stich, P. Schawalder, M. Walton, D. Schwenke, H. Gruner, B. Gasser, and J.-C. Theis, In Vivo Comparison of the Osseointegration of Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Titanium- and Hydroxyapatite-Coated Implants, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A, 2003, 66, p 356-363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Endres, M. Wilke, P. Knöll, H. Frank, M. Kratz, and A. Wilke, Correlation of In Vitro and In Vivo Results of Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Titanium Implants with Different Surface Topography, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med., 2008, 19, p 1117-1125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. R.R. Peterson, Taguchi Experiment on Strength Correlation Between a Customer and a Supplier of Porous Coatings, ASTM STP, 1994, 1173, p 96-108

    Google Scholar 

  13. E. Auroux, M. Boustie, J.P. Romain, D. Bertheau, P. Peyre, L. Berthe, and E. Bartnicki, Debonding Study of Ni-Base Substrate/Pt Coating Interfaces Using Laser Shock Wave: Characterization of the Targets and Experimental Study, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2001, 138(2–3), p 269-277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. B.A. Winkelstein, Orthopaedic Biomechanics, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2012

    Book  Google Scholar 

  15. Standard Test Method for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials by Four-Point Bending, AFNOR, Standard D6272-10, 2010

  16. J. Brandrup and E.H. Immergut, Polymer Handbook, 3rd ed., Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  17. P. Aspenberg, S. Goodman, S. Toksviglarsen, L. Ryd, and T. Albrektsson, Intermittent Micromotion Inhibits Bone Ingrowth—Titanium Implants in Rabbits, Acta Orthop. Scand., 1992, 63(2), p 141-145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. C. Bolis, L. Berthe, M. Boustie, M. Arrigoni, S. Barradas, and M. Jeandin, Physical Approach to Adhesion Testing Using Laser-Driven Shock Waves, J. Phys. D. Appl. Phys., 2007, 40(10), p 3155-3163

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to N. de Dave, A. Laurent, Y. Auriac, and V. Guipont (Mines-ParisTech) for technical support and stimulating discussions. Financial support by Mines-ParisTech and Alhenia AG is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support by Region Ile de France (SESAME 2004 program), Ecole polytechnique, and CNRS is also acknowledged for the use of SEM in situ platform.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre des matériaux, UMR 7633 Mines-ParisTech, BP 87, 91003, Evry, France

    Géraldine Wolinne, Céline Harnisch, Michel Jeandin & Laurent Corté

  2. Alhenia AG, Baden Dättwil, Switzerland

    Céline Harnisch, Sylvie Ruch & Armando Salito

  3. Laboratoire de Mécanique des Solides, UMR 7649 Ecole Polytechnique, 91128, Palaiseau, France

    Eva Héripré

Authors
  1. Géraldine Wolinne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Céline Harnisch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eva Héripré
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sylvie Ruch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Armando Salito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Michel Jeandin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Laurent Corté
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laurent Corté.

Additional information

This article is an invited paper selected from presentations at the 2014 International Thermal Spray Conference, held May 21-23, 2014, in Barcelona, Spain, and has been expanded from the original presentation.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wolinne, G., Harnisch, C., Héripré, E. et al. Mechanical Study of Novel VPS-Titanium Coating on Polyethylene Substrates. J Therm Spray Tech 24, 206–214 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-014-0191-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-014-0191-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation