Orthopedic Implants: Coating with TiN

Abstract

There is a constant interaction between the orthopedic implant material and the biological environment of the living organism. The surface of this biomaterial plays a fundamental role in the implant / organism response. The surface is exposed to a corrosive environment and there may be a release of ions from the implant to the body and thus potential for adverse reactions such as inflammation and pain. It may also be subject to wear conditions, such as in joints, causing the release of wear particles to the surrounding tissue, which may lead to loosening of the implant. In order to improve the properties of the implants to avoid a premture intervention (revision surgery) and to increase the shelf life, superficial modifications of the implants are performed. Titanium nitride (TiN) is a coat of choice for the modification of orthopedic implants because it is biocompatible, exhibits high hardness and corrosion resistance, low coefficient of wear and friction and represents a barrier to diffusion between the implant material (substrate) and living tissue. The main objective of this work is to describe the main properties of TiN and its application in biomaterials. Introduction