Fretting behavior of NiTi shape memory alloy against long bone in the imitated human physiological solution

摘要

The environment of orthopaedic implants sometimes induces vibrations at the contact of the modular prostheses components. In this paper the fretting behavior of NiTi SMAs against human bones in the imitated human physiological solution was studied at various displacement amplitudes and Ph value. Surface micrograph after fretting was observed by MEF3 microscope. Appearance of fretting scar was measured by 2206 roughness tester. The result shows that the friction coefficient between the bone and NiTi SMAs pairs declined due to the lubrication effect of Hank's solution, and which increased when Ph value of fluid was not 7.2 due to the corrosion. So the friction coefficient at acid and alkali Hank's solution is higher than those at the neutral solution and ambient air condition. Generally speaking, the friction coefficient between the bone and NiTi SMAs tend to be stable with the increasing amplitude at all test conditions. It is because that the surface was oxidized to restrain the forming of wear debris and the further development of fretting scars. Although the length and width of the wear scars in simulation body fluid are smaller than that at ambient air condition, the surface of NiTi SMAs damaged is characterized by deep scratches with debris particles within the contact area. Fretting regime of NiTi/bones pairs exhibits the mixed regime at ambient air condition and the slip regime in the Hank's solution.