Benefit of a Surface Nanocrystallization Treatment on Co28Cr6Mo Abrasive Wear Properties

Abstract

In this work, the use of a nanocrystallization surface treatment is considered on a cobalt based alloy. Since the Co28Cr6Mo is widely used as an articular bearing surface for artificial joints like hip and knee prostheses, the improvement of its tribological properties is a matter of concern to extend the lifespan of implants. By means of SMA (Surface Mechanical Attrition) treatment, a nanostructured layer is formed at the surface of a CoCrMo alloy establishing an optimized hardness gradient down to a depth of a few hundred of microns. Different treatment times (5, 15 and 25 minutes) are assessed comparatively and several surface polishing methods are studied: with clothes, brushes and a liquid filled with abrasive particles. The influence of processing parameters is discussed regarding hardness and topography. Moreover, the impact of surface modification is examined in terms of wear strengthening through scratch testing. The use of increasing loads mode gives some evidence of the benefit of SMAT. A significant decrease of penetration depth is noticed, from 30% to 60% on average. A straight correlation is also noticed depending on the surface finish method. This study illustrates both the ability of micro scratch testing to assess comparatively treated surface layer and to highlight the benefit of SMAT for wear strengthening in an abrasive wear mode.