Tribocorrosion of different biomaterials under reciprocating sliding conditions in artificial saliva

It has been found in recent studies that the main reason for the failure of a biomedical material used as an implant is due to the low resistance of the combined wear and corrosion. The aim of the present research study is to investigate the triboelectrochemical behaviour of different biomedical materials used as implants under different contact conditions. Comparative experiments were performed using commercial pure titanium (cP‐Ti), Ti6Al4V alloy, pure niobium (Nb), and a Co28Cr6Mo alloy sliding against a Zirconia counterbody tested in artificial saliva. The corrosion potential of the working electrode was monitorised using the open circuit potential technique, and potentiodynamic polarization curves were obtained. It was found that the Nb specimen showed a poor tribological performance, while the Co28Cr6Mo alloy showed the lowest friction and wear. The cP‐Ti specimen showed a more noble behaviour than that of the other three specimens with the highest corrosion potential value.