Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of bio-lubricants on the tribological properties of Ti6Al4V alloy

  • Published:
Journal of Bionic Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Titanium alloy is one of the best materials for biomedical applications due to its superior biocompatibility, outstanding corrosion resistance, and low elastic modulus. However, the friction and wear behaviors of titanium alloys were sensitive to the environment including lubrication. In order to clarify the wear mechanism of titanium alloy under different lubrications including deionized water, physiological saline and bovine serum, the friction and wear tests were performed between Ti6Al4V plates and Si3N4 ball on a universal multifunctional tester. The friction and the wear rate of titanium alloy were measured under dry friction and three different lubrication conditions. The worn surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that under the dry friction, the wear resistance of titanium alloy was the worst since the wear mechanism was mainly the combination of abrasive wear and oxidation wear. It was also found that Ti6Al4V alloy had low friction coefficient and wear rate under three lubrication conditions, and its wear mechanism was adhesive wear.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Masmoudi M, Assoul M, Wery M, Abdelhedi R, El Halouani F, Monteil G. Wear behaviour of nitric acid pas sivated cp Ti and Ti6Al4V. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2009, 478, 726–730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Luo Y, Jiang H, Cheng G, Liu H. Effect of carburization on the mechanical properties of biomedical grade titanium alloys. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2011, 8, 86–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Navaneethakrishnan P, Ganesh Sundara Raman S, Pathak S D, Gnanamoorthy R, Ravi N. Fretting wear studies on diamond-like carbon coated Ti-6Al-4V. Surface & Coatings Technology, 2009, 203, 1205–1212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Martini C, Ceschini L. A comparative study of the tri-bological behavior of PVD coatings on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Tribology International, 2011, 44, 297–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Boujelbene M, Dhouibi S, Kharrat M, Dammak M. Analysis of the biotribological behavior for the stainless steel/poly-ethylene contact using a knee prosthesis simulator. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2012, 9, 59–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang Q, Zhang L, Dong J. Effects of plasma nitriding on microstructure and tribological properties of CoCrMo alloy implant materials. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2010, 7, 337–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Atar E, Kayali E S, Cimenoglu H. Characteristics and wear performance of borided Ti6Al4V alloy. Surface & Coatings Technology, 2008, 202, 4583–4590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Molinari A, Straffelini G, Tesi B, Bacci T. Dry sliding wear mechanisms of the Ti6Al4V alloy. Wear, 1997, 208, 105–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Güleryüz H, Cimenoğlu H. Effect of thermal oxidation on corrosion and corrosion-wear behaviour of a Ti-6Al-4V al-loy[J]. Biomaterials, 2004, 25, 3325–3333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Liu X, Chu P K, Ding C. Surface modification of titanium, titanium alloys, and related materials for biomedical applications. Materials Science and Engineering, 2004, 47, 49–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Bell J, Besong A A, Tipper J L, Ingham E, Wroblewski B M, Stone M H, Fisher J. Influence of gelatin and bovine serum lubricants on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear debris generated in vitro simulations. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 2000, 214, 513–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bell C J, Ingham E, Fisher J. Influence of hyaluronic acid on the time-dependent friction response of articular cartilage under different conditions. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 2006, 220, 23–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Pickard J, Ingham E, Egan J, Fisher J. Investigation into the effect of proteoglycan molecules on the tribological properties of cartilage joint tissues. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 1998, 212, 177–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Bell J, Tipper J L, Ingham E, Stone M H, Fisher J. The influence of phospholipid concentration in protein-containing lubricants on the wear of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in articial hip joints. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 2001, 215, 259–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Scholes S C, Unsworth A. The effects of proteins on the friction and lubrication of artificial joints. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 2006, 220, 687–693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Straffelini G, Molinari A. Dry sliding wear of Ti-6Al-4V alloy as influenced by the counterface and sliding conditions. Wear, 1999, 236, 328–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kataria S, Kumar N, Dash S, Tyagi A K. Tribological and deformation behaviour of titanium coating under different sliding contact conditions. Wear, 2010, 269, 797–803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Luo Y, Ge S. Fretting wear behavior of nitrogen ion implanted titanium alloys in bovine serum lubrication. Tribology International, 2009, 42, 1373–1379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yang J, Gu W, Pan L M, Song K, Chen X, Qiu T. Friction and wear properties of in situ (TiB2+TiC)/Ti3SiC2 composites. Wear, 2011, 271, 2940–2946.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Brossia C S, Kelly R G. Occluded solution chemistry control and the role of alloy sulfur on the initiation of crevice corrosion in type 304ss. Corrosion Science, 1998, 40, 1851–1871.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wu G, Wang C, Zhang W. Tribological property and lubricant mechanism of biomimetic artificial cartilage material. Tribology, 2009, 29, 157–162. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Material Science and Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, P. R. China

    Yong Luo, Li Yang & Maocai Tian

Authors
  1. Yong Luo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Li Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maocai Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yong Luo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Luo, Y., Yang, L. & Tian, M. Influence of bio-lubricants on the tribological properties of Ti6Al4V alloy. J Bionic Eng 10, 84–89 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(13)60202-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(13)60202-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation