Ceramic metal composite for orthopaedic implants
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsShilesh C. Jani, Vivek Devidas Pawar, Carolyn L. Weaver
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Abstract
The invention relates to an orthopedic implant made of a ceramic metal composite. The composite (28, 48, 54) includes one phase that is a biocompatible metal or metal alloy and a second phase of ceramic particles examples of which include carbides, nitrides and/or oxides. In some embodiments, the implant comprises a homogeneous ceramic layer (24) as part of a multi-layered composition. In some embodiments, the multilayered composition comprises a homogeneous metal layer (32).
Claims20
An orthopaedic implant component comprising:
- a unitary multilayered composition having a surface layer of a homogenous ceramic wherein an average free distance between ceramic particles is less than the average size of the ceramic particles, and a subsurface layer immediately below the surface layer, the subsurface layer comprising a ceramic and a metallic species.
The implant component of dam 14, wherein said ceramic is a mixture of alumina and zirconia.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.