Optimization of electrochemical corrosion behavior of 316L stainless steel as an effective biomaterial for orthopedic applications

Abstract

Austenitic 316L stainless steel is one of the most common biomaterials used for orthopedic implants. As a highly corrosive environment, the device continuously contacts the blood. The corrosion effects on the screw plates must be known. The material most frequently used in osteosynthesis is currently 316L stainless steel. A simulated body fluid (S.B.F.) with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (E.I.S.) and potentiodynamic (P.D.) polarization techniques has studied the corrosion behavior of stainless steel 316L. Corrosion characteristics were tested on 316L stainless steel surfaces resulted in corrosion rate are obtained highest for 270 min and lowest for 60 min immersion in S.B.F. Polarization experiments have been performed in a simulated body fluid following 60 min, 90 min, 180 min, and 270 min, there were relatively low densities, indicating a passive layer formation. The impedance spectrum in the Nyquist plot showed the development of the layer as a single constant system. It has been found today that current orthopedic implants tend to fail after long periods of use, as implants in the human body suffer from corrosion. This article gives a simple overview of the corrosion behavior for 316L stainless steel in orthopedic implant applications.