Method of surface oxidizing zirconium and zirconium alloys and resulting product
First Claim
1. A medical implant comprising:
- a first component having a bearing surface;
a second component having a counter-bearing surface adapted to cooperate with the bearing surface;
wherein at least one of said first component or said second component comprises zirconium or a zirconium alloy having an amorphous structure;
a surface layer of blue-black or black oxidized zirconium on at least a portion of said component comprising zirconium or a zirconium alloy, said surface layer of oxidized zirconium being formed by oxidation of said zirconium or zirconium alloy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A coating of blue-black or black oxidized zirconium of uniform and controlled thickness on a zirconium or zirconium alloy material is accomplished through the oxidative treatment of an amorphous zirconium or zirconium alloy substrate having an altered surface roughness. An oxidized zirconium coating of uniform and controlled thickness is especially useful on orthopedic implants of zirconium or zirconium-based alloys to provide low friction, highly wear resistant surfaces on artificial joints, such as, but not limited to, hip joints, knee joints, shoulders, elbows, and spinal implants. The uniformly thick oxidized zirconium surface of controlled depth on prostheses provide a barrier against implant corrosion caused by ionization of the metal prostheses. The invention is also useful in non-articulating implant devices such as bone plates, bone screws, etc.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A medical implant comprising:
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a first component having a bearing surface; a second component having a counter-bearing surface adapted to cooperate with the bearing surface; wherein at least one of said first component or said second component comprises zirconium or a zirconium alloy having an amorphous structure; a surface layer of blue-black or black oxidized zirconium on at least a portion of said component comprising zirconium or a zirconium alloy, said surface layer of oxidized zirconium being formed by oxidation of said zirconium or zirconium alloy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A medical implant comprising:
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at least one component comprising; a substrate comprising zirconium or a zirconium alloy having an amorphous structure; a surface layer of blue-black or black oxidized zirconium on at least a portion of said substrate; said surface layer of oxidized zirconium being formed by oxidation of said zirconium or zirconium alloy. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification