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US 11,260,145 B2Granted
Diffusion-hardened medical implant
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsVivek Pawar, Shilesh C. Jani, Carolyn L. Weaver
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Abstract
A composition and medical implant made therefrom, the composition including a thick diffusion hardened zone, and preferably further including a ceramic layer. Also provided are orthopedic implants made from the composition, methods of making the composition, and methods of making orthopedic implants from the composition.
Claims17
A medical implant comprising:
- a first implant portion having a first articulating surface, the first implant portion comprising:
- a substrate comprising a biocompatible metal or metal alloy;
- a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising zirconium or zirconium alloy and a diffusion hardening species, said diffusion hardened zone having a thickness of greater than 5 microns;
- and,
- a substantially defect-free ceramic layer in contact with and overlaying said diffusion hardened zone and comprising a surface of said medical implant, said ceramic layer ranging in thickness from 0.1 to 25 microns;
- and,
- wherein the total thickness of the ceramic layer and the diffusion hardened zone is greater than 5 microns;
- and
- a second implant portion having a second articulating surface arranged and configured to contact the first articulating surface so that the second implant portion can articulate relative to the first implant portion, wherein the second articulating surface comprises a soft polymer;
- wherein said biocompatible metal or metal alloy is zirconium or zirconium alloy;
- and
- wherein the diffusion hardened zone comprises a layered structure comprising at least two distinct layers under metallographic analysis, the layered structure characterized by:
- a first layer directly below the ceramic layer, wherein the first layer is predominantly alpha phase zirconium;
- an interface between the first layer and the ceramic layer;
- and
- a second layer directly below the first layer.
13 more elements
A medical implant comprising:
- a first implant portion, said first implant portion having a first articulating bearing surface;
- and
- a second implant portion, said second implant portion having a second articulating bearing surface;
- wherein said first articulating bearing surface and said second articulating bearing surface are capable of contacting one another;
- wherein said first articulating bearing surface comprises:
- a substantially defect-free ceramic layer overlaying and in contact with a diffusion hardened zone, wherein said diffusion hardened zone has a thickness of at least 2 microns;
- wherein the thickness of the diffusion hardened zone is at least equal to or greater than the thickness of the substantially defect free ceramic layer;
- and
- wherein said second articulating bearing surface comprises a soft polymer;
- wherein the diffusion hardened zone comprises:
- a first layer above a second layer, the thickness of said first layer is greater than the thickness of said second layer.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.