Contact slip prediction in HAp coated artificial hip implant using finite element analysis

The rapid age growth in most of the developed countries leads to application of artificial joints such as knee joints and hip joints. The properties of titanium alloy such as light weight, high strength and good biocompatibility make it a suitable material for wide usage as artificial joints. However, titanium alloy cannot directly adhered with human bone; thus, bonds or coating are required. Plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HAp) is widely used as a coating to bond artificial Ti-6Al-4V implants with human bone. The contact slip mainly occurs at the HAp-Ti-6Al-4V interface which also known as possible delamination interface in hip joint artificial implant. The coating fretting fatigue delamination condition can lead to contact slip at HAp coating-Ti-6Al-4V interface which will accelerate HAp coating fretting wear behavior. This paper presents the influence of normal loading, fatigue loading and delamination length on contact slip distributions at HAp coating-Ti-6Al-4V interface through finite element based methodology. A simple FE contact configuration model consist of contact pad, HAp coating and Ti-6Al-4V substrate is examined under static simulation. The predicted results revealed that lower normal load with higher maximum fatigue loading condition could promote more contact slip distribution. The contact slip is also increased with increasing delamination length. The induced contact slip can accelerates fretting wear behavior of HAp coating.