Method of providing a zirconium surface and resulting product
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsGordon Hunter, Shilesh C. Jani, Vivek Pawar
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Abstract
A coating of blue-black or black zirconium of uniform and controlled thickness on a zirconium or zirconium alloy material is accomplished through the treatment of an amorphous zirconium or zirconium alloy substrate, which may have an altered surface roughness. The treatment of amorphous zirconium or zirconium alloy substrates includes oxidation of the substrates. A zirconium coating of uniform and controlled thickness is especially useful in various applications because the uniformly thick zirconium surface of controlled depth provide a barrier against implant corrosion caused by ionization of the metal substrates.
Claims20
A substrate comprising:
- a zirconium or a zirconium alloy having an amorphous structure;
- and
- a surface layer of blue-black or black zirconium oxide on at least a portion of said zirconium or a zirconium alloy,
- wherein said surface layer has a substantially uniform thickness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.