A comparison between the corrosion characteristics of 316 stainless steel, solid titanium and porous titanium

Abstract

Corrosion tests were performed on solid 316 stainless steel, solid titanium, as well as porous titanium specimens of various porosities. The tests were conducted in 0.9% aqueous NaCl solution maintained at 37°C to simulate the environment encountered by surgical implants in the human body. A marked difference was seen in the corrosion characteristics of the specimens. Titanium was found to exhibit a larger passive range than 316 stainless steel. Porous titanium, produced by the technique of powder metallurgy, was found to be more susceptible to corrosion than solid titanium. However, unsintered porous titanium was found to suffer less corrosion than sintered porous titanium, given the same compaction pressure. Moreover, unsintered specimens which were compacted at higher pressures experienced more corrosion than those compacted at lower pressures. The paper also provides an explanation for these phenomena. © 1993.