Abstract
Fretting corrosion test of Ti-6Al-4V alloy was conducted in saline solution at 37°C in order to understand the degradation mechanism of biomedical Ti alloy in living body environment and the influence of dissimilar metal coupling with stainless steel and heat treatment of Ti alloy on the lowering of wear loss were also investigated.
It was found that the corrosion potential of Ti alloy becomes electrochemically less noble than 316L stainless steel during fretting corrosion test. The weight loss by wear and the anodic current (metal ions release) of Ti alloy were remarkable comparing with those of stainless steel at controlled potential of 0mV (SCE). When Ti alloy was electrochemically coupled with stainless steel and tested at controlled potential of 0mV (SCE), none of wear reducing effect was observed during the continuous fretting corrosion test. However, it might indicate that the increase in surface hardness by heat treatment (for example 900°C WQ) of this α/β type Ti alloy was more effective to minimize the weight loss and metal ions release of biomedical Ti alloy.
