Title: Metallic implants and their surface modification using electric discharge machining: a review

Authors: Arvind Kumar Singh; Anup Malik; Harlal Singh Mali

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India

Abstract: The key precondition for choosing bio-materials is their compatibility with the human body, along with the essential properties that would be suitable for the long-term success of implants. Metallic materials are suitable as implants due to their excellent mechanical properties like toughness, ductility, strength, elasticity, etc. For the production of high-performance metallic implants, the selection of metal alloys and surface functionalisation is of particular importance and necessity. Inspired by the functional surface of natural biological systems, there have recently emerged many new designs and ideas to construct multi-functional surfaces with great potential for biomedical applications. This review initially discusses the metallic biomaterials, their properties and their applications. The later part of the review discusses surface modification techniques. It was found that electric discharge machining (EDM) is one of the non-contact type machining processes, which can be useful for economical surface modification of metal implants. EDM-based hybrid processes need further exploring for surface modification of metallic implants.

Keywords: biocompatibility; implant materials; surface characterisation; surface modification techniques; electric discharge machining; EDM; EDCLG.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2021.120417

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2021 Vol.12 No.4, pp.276 - 309

Received: 11 Jul 2020
Accepted: 25 Nov 2020
Published online: 19 Jan 2022 *

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