Carbon based prosthetic devices

A composite article comprising:

• a porous structural member formed of carbon fiber, said porous structural member containing a multiplicity of pores of dimensions greater than about 200 microns in diameter, said porous structural member further including carbon fill material within a portion of said pores such that the pores are essentially less than about 200 microns in diameter, said carbon fill material-containing porous structural member defining a composite carbon/carbon intermediate article which includes an outer surface;
• and,
• a thin coating of diamond like carbon upon said outer surface of said composite carbon/carbon intermediate article, said composite article characterized as having a gradient density with a greatest density at one end of said composite article and a decreasing density towards the other end of said composite article.

A composite article comprising:

• a head portion;
• and,
• a stem portion including a unidirectional carbon fiber core surrounded by a braided carbon fiber sleeve including carbon fibers aligned at an angle from said unidirectional carbon fiber core so as to define a porous structural member containing a multiplicity of pores of preselected dimensions, said stem portion further including carbon fill material within a portion of said pores, said head portion attached to said stem portion at an end of said stem portion.