Biocompatible multicomponent nanostructured coatings for medical applications

Abstract

Biocompatible wear resistant nanostructured thin film materials are provided for application as coatings in the fabrication of load-bearing implants, for example, orthopedic and dental prosthetics, dental crowns, implants for maxillofacial surgery, artificial limbs, fixtures etc. Requirements to these materials include high hardness, fatigue resistance, wear and corrosion resistance, biocompatibility and absence of toxicity. The multicomponent nanostructured coating (MNC) has high hardness, low elastic modulus, high adhesion to the substrate, low friction coefficient and wear rate, high resistance to long elastic strain to failure and plastic deformation, low surface roughness, negative surface charge in physiological media (4.5<pH<9), bioactive surface, biocompatibility and absence of toxicity. Biocompatible multicomponent nanostructured coatings for load-bearing implants are synthesized on the basis of titanium carbonitride with the addition of elements that improve the mechanical and frictional properties of the coating and provide for its bioactivity, biocompatibility and absence of toxicity. The overall concentrations of the main and additional elements in the coating are in the following relationship: whereXis the overall concentration of the main elements (Ti, C, N) in the coating and Yis the overall concentration of the additional elements (Ca, Zr, Si, K, Mn, O, P) in the coating. The elemental concentration in the coating is chosen to keep the following component ratios, at. %: Ti:30-50, C:15-40, N:0.5-30, O:5-25, Ca:0-7, Zr:0-20, Si:0-30, P:0-1.5, Mn:0-1.0, K:0-1.0.