Characteristics of Metals Used in Implants

The performance of any material in the human body is controlled by two sets of characteristics: biofunctionality and biocompatibility. With the wide range of materials available in the mid-1990s, it is relatively easy to satisfy the requirements for mechanical and physical functionality of implantable devices. Therefore, the selection of materials for medical applications is usually based on considerations of biocompatibility. When metals and alloys are considered, the susceptibility of the material to corrosion and the effect the corrosion has on the tissue are the central aspects of biocompatibility. Corrosion resistance of the currently used 316L stainless steel, cobalt-chromium, and titanium-based implant alloys relies on their passivation by a thin surface layer of oxide. Stainless steel is the least corrosion resistant, and it is used for temporary implants only. The titanium and Co-Cr alloys do not corrode in the body; however, metal ions slowly diffuse through the oxide layer and accumulate in the...