Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Corrosion of the Metallic Biomaterials
and Implants
Jaroslaw Jakubowicz
Institute of Materials Science and Engineering
,
Poznan University of Technology
,
Sklodowska-Curie 5 Sq
.,
60-965 Poznan
,
Poland
jaroslaw.jakubowicz@put.poznan.pl
5.1
Corrosion of the Ti-Based Alloys
Corrosion is an electrochemical process that results in the
deterioration of the metal properties, due to its contact with
aggressive environments. Metal destruction by corrosion occurs
either through the transfer of the metal ions directly into corrosive
solution or by continuous dissolution of a surface metal oxide.
Uniform corrosive attack is less destructive than localized, causing
catastrophic and suddenly damage of the corroding material, like
in pitting corrosion. Rapid dissolution of a small localized area may
occur through breakdown of passivity, initiation, propagation, and
repassivation. The Ti and its alloys are mostly used in implants,
because of their high corrosion resistance, due to the stable Ti-
oxide formation caused by more cathodic behavior (Fig. 5.1) [55],
