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Determining Tribocorrosion Rate and Wear-Corrosion Synergy of Bulk and Thin Film Aluminum Alloys
Published on: September 11, 2018
Characterization of Wear Particles Generated from CoCrMo Alloy under Sliding Wear Conditions.
R Pourzal1, I Catelas, R Theissmann
1University Duisburg-Essen, Materials Science and Engineering, Lotharstr. 1, 47057 Duisburg, Germany.
Wear : an International Journal on the Science and Technology of Friction Lubrication and Wear
|August 2, 2011
Summary
Characterizing wear particles from metal-on-metal hip implants using advanced microscopy reveals distinct compositions and structures. This advanced analysis is crucial for understanding biological responses to CoCrMo alloy wear debris.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Materials Science
Background:
- Metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacements made of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloy generate wear products, including particles and metal ions.
- These wear products can cause adverse biological reactions such as periprosthetic osteolysis, hypersensitivity, and pseudotumor formation, often necessitating early revision surgery.
- Accurate characterization of these wear particles is essential for understanding and mitigating biological responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely characterize the chemical composition and crystalline structure of wear particles generated from MoM hip implants.
- To compare particle characteristics obtained from different wear simulation test rigs.
- To investigate potential correlations between particle characteristics, size, and biological reactivity.
Main Methods:
- Wear particles were generated using a reciprocating sliding wear tribometer and a hip simulator (ISO 14242-1) in bovine serum.
- Particles were isolated using an enzymatic digestion protocol.
- Characterization was performed using energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction pattern analysis.
Main Results:
- Tribometer samples yielded larger particles (100-500 nm) with a crystalline structure of strain-induced hcp ε-martensite.
- Hip simulator samples produced smaller particles (15-80 nm); larger ones were partially oxidized cobalt-containing particles, while the smallest were chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) without cobalt.
- Differences in particle size and composition between test rigs are attributed to variations in tribosystem conditions, including geometry and sliding type.
Conclusions:
- Advanced TEM and electron diffraction provide more precise characterization of MoM wear particles compared to traditional EDS analysis.
- Particle size and composition vary significantly based on the wear simulation conditions.
- Results suggest a potential critical particle size influencing chromium oxidation and cobalt ionization, possibly linked to the transformation of particles within the tribological interface.
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