Tribological characterization of surface treatments to enhance the tribological performances of medical grade titanium

Titanium is widely used for many biomedical applications because of its outstanding biocompatibility. Its spontaneous capacity to create a Ti-oxide passivation film on the surface results in high corrosion resistance and in low metal ion release in vivo. Titanium and titanium alloys are nickel free, and in comparison with CoCrMo alloys, in which nickel is always present, the absence of such allergenic and carcinogenic agents represents a big advantage in terms of biocompatibility. Nonetheless, the poor wear resistance of titanium remains a big limitation for its use in tribological applications. This study investigates the possibility of applying surface treatments on titanium to increase its wear resistance.