Al2O3 and Al2O3-TiN wear resistance in a simulated biological environment

Alumina is widely used as a biomaterial because of its high biocompatibilit y and its good mechanical properties except toughness. In this study, a com posite material Al2O3-TiN is considered as an alternative, the addition of TIN improving the mechanical properties of alumina. The wear behaviour of A l2O3 and Al2O3-TiN in aqueous solutions simulating living environments has been thus compared using a pin on disc wear-testing machine. The results sh ow that the mechanisms of material removal during wear are different. For a lumina, a mechanical wear mechanism is observed, reduced by the lubricating action of the wet media, and alumina-TiN is worn by a combination of tribo chemical and abrasive effects. (C) 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers.