Purpose: The aim of the work was to evaluate how the process of high pressure steam sterilization influences the pitting corrosion resistance of Cr-Ni-Mo steel used for implants production. Design/methodology/approach: Surfaces of samples were prepared by electrolytic polishing and chemical passivation. Samples were sterilized in steam with the use of different parameters of temperature, pressure and time. Corrosion resistance investigations were carried out with the use of potentiodynamic method. The test were realized in solution simulating human blood environment (artificial plasma) at the temperature of 37 ± 1 °C and pH=7.2. Parameters describing the corrosion resistance have been determined on the basis of analysis of anodic polarization curves. Findings: High pressure steam sterilization process improves all parameters relating to pitting corrosion resistance of Cr-Ni-Mo implantation steel that is: corrosion potential Ecorr, breakdown potential Eb, polarization resistance Rp, corrosion current density icorr and corrosion rate. The increase of sterilization time for constant parameters of temperature and pressure of steam was the important factor which improved significantly the corrosion resistance of tested samples. Research limitations/implications: Further investigations of chemical composition of the layers formed during sterilization process are planed. Originality/value: The obtained results show the advantageous influence of passivation and high pressure steam sterilization on the pitting corrosion resistance of Cr-Ni-Mo steel in solution simulating human blood environment (artificial plasma).
Medical tools for minimally invasive surgery are often used in hard environmental conditions. For more effective protection against corrosion of the substrates, caused by steam sterilization loadings, TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, ZrN PVD - layers were used. All of the considered PVD - coatings have shown a sufficient sterilization resistance and the necessary biotolerance, which is required by the legislator for short-term applications of tools. The biocompatibility was estimated by monitoring and evaluating the growth of certain animal cell cultures. Steam sterilization was performed in an autoclave by the sterilization pressure 105KPa in 60 cycles.
W szpitalach istnieją okoliczności sprzyjające wnikaniu drobnoustrojów patogennych do ludzkiego organizmu. Ważnym sposobem zapobiegania temu jest dezynfekcja i sterylizacja wszystkich narzędzi chirurgicznych, niektórych materiałów opatrunkowych, odzieży i sprzętu.