KEYWORDS

Biotribology, Corrosive Wear, Carbides

A BIO-TRIBOLOGICAL METHODOLOGY TO INVESTIGATE NANOSTRUCTURED TI-BASED COMPOSITES FOR HIP-JOINTS

Artificial hips are considered one of the most successful advances in the field of orthopedic surgery over the last century. It is estimated that in the US alone more than 300,000 people undergo hip replacement surgery every year. However, the success is only partial, as existing artificial hip joints are found to last for about 12 up to 15 years. The failure of the hip replacement is often a combination of tribocorrosion of the hip joint materials and inflammations due to wear particles in the body. With patients living longer and hip replacements done at younger age, second and sometimes third major surgery becomes an issue.

AUTHORS

E. Georgiou, D. Drees, Falex Tribology NV, Rotselaar, Belgium, S. Dosta, Thermal Spray Centre (CPT), Barcelona, Spain, P. Matteazzi, CSGI and MBN Nanomaterialia, Treviso, Italy, J. Kusinski, University of Mining and Metallurgy, Cracow, Poland, J.-P. Celis, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium