Influence of metal carbides on dissolution behavior of biomedical CoCrMo alloy: SEM, TEM and AFM studies

The influence of precipitate carbides on dissolution tendency and behavior of a biomedical CoCrMo alloy was investigated at microscopic scale. SEM/EDS, TEM/EDS and XRD were performed to characterize crystallographic structure and composition of different precipitate carbides. Scanning Kelvin probe force microscope (SKPFM) was used to evaluate relative nobility of the carbides. In addition to polarization curves, in situ electrochemical AFM (EC-AFM) measurements were performed to investigate the effect of the carbides on local dissolution processes. SEM/EDS, TEM/EDS and XRD characterizations showed non-uniform structure and composition of Cr and Mo carbides. SKPFM analysis suggested the carbide boundaries as preferential sites for corrosion/dissolution process. Cyclic polarization curves of the alloy in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution showed a large current density increase above a certain potential, but only a small hysteresis loop during reverse scan. No noticeable pitting corrosion was observed by SEM after the experiments. In situ AFM images of the sample in PBS showed a stable surface at potentials in the passive region and around the potential corresponding to the current increase and slight etching-like dissolution around the carbides at higher potentials. Carbide boundaries are preferential sites for metal dissolution and carbides with non-uniform composition might exhibit different dissolution rates.

► State-of-the-art local probing techniques have been used to study the corrosion/dissolution behavior of a biomedical CoCrMo alloy.
► Carbide boundaries show lower Volta potential compared to matrix and carbides.
► Preferential metal dissolution from carbide boundary regions and etching-like dissolution of carbide clusters occured at high anodic potentials.