Evaluation of Fracture Durability and Wear Resistance Properties for Orthopaedic Implant Application

Metallic substrates coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) are commonly utilised for orthopaedic implants. Titanium grade 2 and Titanium grade 5 samples were individually plasma spray-coated with HA and HA reinforced with 5% (by wt.) multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MCNT). The wear and tear behaviour of these coated substrates was investigated using simulated bodily fluid (SBF) with a pH ranging from 7.20 to 7.40. The fracture durability and wear resistance of the HA-MCNT composite coat were designed to be superior to that of pure HA coating. This improvement is due to the basic mechanical features of MCNT as well as the crack restricted connection effect. The inclusion of MCNT also aided in fracture confinement in the coatings. As evidenced by SEM pictures, abrasive and persistent wear.