Wear Mechanism of Superhard Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) Coatings for Biomedical Applications
Tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings have the potential to protect biomedical implants from wear and increase their service life. In the contribution – led by KTmfk – the biotribological effectiveness of ta-C coatings on cobalt-chromium-molybdenum and titanium alloys as well as on ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was studied. In metal pin-on-UHMWPE disk sliding experiments under simulated body fluid lubrication, the wear rates of both contact partners were significantly reduced, while the underlying substrates remained well protected. Nonetheless, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy revealed coating process-related and thermally driven subductions as well as tribologically induced near-surface fatigue, which can potentially constitute critical wear mechanisms. The results of the successful international collaboration between Germany and Chile have now been published in the Editor’s Choice Section of the renowned journal Advanced Materials Interfaces.