Lifespan Enhancement of Stainless Steel 316L Artificial Hip Prosthesis by Novel Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC Coating.

In this study, properties of 316L SS coated with zirconium carbide (ZrC) incorporated Ti-6Al-4 V are discussed. Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC coating is deposited on 316L SS by magnetron sputtering technique, and also coating morphologies were investigated using SEM, XRD, EDS and AFM. The coatings thickness of 4–5 µm shows dense structure with smooth and crack-free surface and improved surface roughness (Ra) of 0.03 µm. Nanohardness of coated 316L surfaces has been upgraded and showed maximum nanohardness of 14.31 GPa with the highest elastic modulus of 207 GPa. The wear behavior has been analyzed by applying a load of 2–3 N with a contact pressure of 78.56 MPa against E-52100 steel balls which shows improvement in resistance to plastic deformation. The presence of a Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC layer on the surface of 316L steel has increased the tribocorrosion resistance by 1.2 times higher than the uncoated 316L steel. Scratch test results show the improved adhesion behavior. At an outset, due to its enhanced properties, Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC-coated SS 316L is an excellent alternative and can replace artificial hip joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]