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.

Thin TiN coating on NiTi substrate through PVD method: Improvement of the wear resistance

“…The higher gas flow of N 2 can increase the number of collisions between the particles. Another study [3] also reported that the formation of the Ti 2 N phase can be observed at low concentrations of nitrogen (23 at. %), whereas, at higher nitrogen concentration, the TiN phase can be expected.…”

Recent Advancements in Materials and Coatings for Biomedical Implants

“…Titanium nitride (TiN) coatings were used as decorative coatings in earlier days. In the last decade, nitride coatings for orthopedic implants were also proposed to protect the implants against wear and tear and to act as a diffusion barrier layer preventing the toxic ion release from the implant metal surfaces to the human body fluids [177][178][179][180]. The physical properties of TiN coated substrates show high scratch resistance, hardness, and low frictional coefficients.…”

Advances in Multifunctional Bioactive Coatings for Metallic Bone Implants

“…For biomedical applications, TiN was found to be well tolerated by tissue due to its inertness [176]. On orthopedic implants, nitride coatings protect the surface against wear and act as a diffusion barrier, preventing ion release from the metal to the body fluids [177]. Compared to other nitrides, TiN shows better biological properties for orthopedic applications [178].…”