Fretting corrosion of materials for orthopaedic implants: a study of a metal/polymer contact in an artificial physiological medium

The fretting corrosion behaviour of a 316L SS flat against a PMMA counterfa ce has been investigated in an artificial physiological medium. A specific device has been used to visualize the in situ degradation at the contact in terface. Simultaneous analysis of the coefficient of friction and free corr osion potential has shown four distinct stages during fretting experiments. An energy-oriented approach to the fretting process was conducted in tande m with measurement of wear. This method has shown a linear progression in t he wear volume of the samples as a function of the interfacial energy dissi pated during fretting. The presence of chlorides contributes to a considera ble acceleration of the degradation of the stainless steel surface. This pr ocess was explained by a mechanism related to crevice corrosion activated b y friction. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.