SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 30 September 2013
STP155920120151

Ti-6Al-4V Fatigue Strength After Shot Peening: The Role of a Corrosive Environment

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When used as implant material in joint arthroplasty or trauma surgery, titanium and its alloys are subjected to dynamic in vivo loading conditions. In the case of an inappropriate design or an unforeseen loading event, breakage of the metal component might occur. This is a rare (<1 % in total hip arthroplasty) but serious complication, and it requires special attention for revision surgery. Titanium and its alloys, such as Ti-6Al-4V, which was used in this study, can be considered as the most corrosion resistant of the orthopedic metals used today. However, the influence of a corrosive medium on fatigue strength during cyclic loading has not yet been fully investigated. In order to enhance the fatigue strength, mechanical surface treatments have been applied to some implant designs, in particular revision hip systems. Therefore, specimens that had been shot peened in a two-step procedure (high-intensity cut wire peening and low-intensity cleaning by glass beads) were used for fatigue testing to a maximum of 10 × 106 cycles at 10 Hz (R = 0.1) under two conditions: (a) in a dry atmosphere (room conditions) and (b) circulated by a corrosive saline solution. Notable increases in fatigue strength were found in both cases after shot peening relative to untreated (annealed) specimens, and this has been associated with the introduction of high residual stresses at the surface. Even though no differences were seen at 10 × 106 cycles, the influence of a corrosive environment might be relevant at higher loads.

Author Information

Sonntag, Robert
Laboratory of Biomechanics and Implant Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, DE
Reinders, Joern
Laboratory of Biomechanics and Implant Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, DE
Gibmeier, Jens
Institute of Applied Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, DE
Jaeger, Sebastian
Laboratory of Biomechanics and Implant Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, DE
Kretzer, J., Philippe
Laboratory of Biomechanics and Implant Research, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, DE
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Details
Developed by Committee: E08
Pages: 1–11
DOI: 10.1520/STP155920120151
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7584-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7545-7