Corrosion Behavior of a Novel Hybrid Co/UHMWPE Composite Biocoating with Potential Application as a Biomaterial

Abstract

In the present paper we report the acquisition of a composite coating based on cobalt and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (Co/UHMWPE) as a novel hybrid biocoating with potential application as a biomaterial, using the electrochemical deposition technique at room temperature. Three different concentrations of UHMWPE, namely 20 gL-1, 30 gL-1 and 50 gL-1, were used in a cobalt sulphate bath. The corrosion behaviour of the Co/UHMWPE hybrid biocoating was studied in comparison with pure cobalt coating at different exposure times in Hanks’ solution as simulated body fluid (SBF), using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method. The polarisation resistance of the Co/UHMWPE hybrid biocoating increased during immersion time in the SBF medium in comparison to the pure cobalt coating. An easy way to prepare Co/UHMWPE hybrid biocoatings was identified: namely, by properly incorporating UHMWPE microparticles into a Co matrix using electrocodeposition from a cobalt electrolyte plating bath with increasing corrosion resistance in a solution simulating body fluid.