FATIGUE AND FRETTING FATIGUE BEHAVIOR OF METALLIC BIOMATERIALS

A fretting fatigue test method in a simulated body fluid is shown to evaluate fatigue properties of metallic materials which are used in the orthopaedics field Next, fatigue/fretting fatigue behavior in a simulated body fluid is given for 316L stainless steel, Ti-6% Al-4% V alloy, pure Ti for industrial use and Co-Cr-Mo alloy. Finally, we discuss the relationship between the tensile strength and the fatigue strength/fretting fatigue strength of metallic biomaterials at 10(7) cycles in air and in a simulated body fluid For all of the biomaterials tested, the fatigue strength at 10(7) cycles is similar in air and in a simulated body fluid The fatigue strength is closely correlated to the tensile strength. The fatigue strength increases with increasing tensile strength However, a correlation is not observed between the fretting fatigue strength at 10(7) cycles and the fatigue strength or the tensile strength