engleski

The use of self-assembled fatty acids polymerized by gamma irradiation for corrosion protection of stainless steel implants

Metals have biomechanical properties which make them suitable as an implant material. They can be sterilized by the common sterilization procedures which makes them easy to use. Among the used metals stainless steel (SS) is the least corrosion resistant, and it is currently used for temporary implants only. Additional protection is needed to use SS in a larger variety of applications. Formation of a thin protective film on the metals surface is a good and practical way to enhance the metal’s natural protective properties. Fatty acids are non-toxic compounds which have an affinity for adsorbing on metals with one end of their molecules, the carboxyl group. The other end of fatty acids, the methyl group, has hydrophobic properties and when adsorbed on the metal surface it makes the whole surface of the metal appear hydrophobic. Thus by blocking access for water to the surface the dissolution of the metal is disabled. If the fatty acid is unsaturated the film can be polimerized by the use of gamma irradiation. Polimerization would make the film even more durable and stable. This would be a very convinient method of polimerization as implants are commonly sterilized by gamma irradiation and in this case both polimerization and sterilization could be done at the same time. In this work elaidic acid is applied by self- assembling on the surface of SS. This film is polimerized by gamma irradiation. The optimal conditions for the polimerization , as well as the corrosion resistance properties are investigated by electrochemical measurements. SEM is performed to analyse the structure of the metal's surface. FTIR analysis is performed to confirm polimerization occured. Contact angle measurements are performed to investigate the hydrophobic properties of the metal's surface.

polymer nano coatings ; self-assembled monolayers ; ionising irradiation ; corrosion protection

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