Influence of the lubricating fluid on the changes on rubbing metallic biomaterials surface

• Investigations of friction of homogenous bio-metallic sliding pairs were made.
• As a lubricating fluid acidic sodium lactate and Ringer's solution were applied.
• Results of static friction coefficient occur to be surprisingly high.
• Oxygen compositions on the rubbing surfaces were found.
• It may suggest the beginning of corrosion process.

Treatment of idiopathic scoliosis with high magnitude of curvature angle is based on the application of a spinal instrumentation (e.g. wires, hooks, screws and cables) during surgical operation. The present experiment investigates the static friction coefficient of two types of biomaterials: 316L steel and Ti6Al4V titanium alloy under different unit pressure values. Tested friction pairs were homogeneous. After the tribological tests, microscopic observations of the rubbing surfaces were made and compared. The experiments confirm the influence of both lubricating fluid and the unit pressure on the value of static friction force and coefficient.

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