Medthin™ 60 ZrN

The high oxidation resistance coating

Medthin 60 coating is particularly suitable for improving articulating joints such as those of “Coating on UHMWPE” where polyethylene wear and ion release from substrates (CoCr, SS, TAV, etc)  is strongly reduced. The coating is applied with thickness of about 5 µm and it has adhesion strength to metal substrates in the GigaPascal range. The ZrN layer improves UHMWPE abrasion resistance >65% measured on knee simulator tests compliant with ISO 14243. Zirconium Nitride (ZrN) is deposited with latest generation technologies showing a polycrystalline cubic structure with a fine and very dense structure,  roughness (Ra) values below 0.05µm, ideal for articulating zones. The coating coverage is rather uniform on external surfaces while internal surfaces are difficult to coat.

Ionbond  can currently deliver coating service of “Medthin 60 ZrN on Implants” from multiple coating centers.

Technical data

 

Material

Zirconium Nitride

Applicable on following implant material

Titanium, TAV, CoCrMo, 316 LVM, all SS

Technologies

PVD arc or sputtering

Color

Light gold

Thickness, μm

Hardness, GPa

25 to 32

Phase composition

Cubic, Polycrystalline

Surface texture, Ra

<0.05

Coating coverage

Mainly external surfaces²

Masking partial zones or over porous coat

Possible

Dissolvability

Not reported in serum

Adhesion strenght, MPa

>1000

Wear (abrasion) resistance, coating against UHMWPE

>65%³

Porosity density, n/mm² & pore size, μm

PVD Arc (<400, 1) and PVD sputter (<50, 0.5)

Reduction of allergic potential (CoCrMo, FeCrNi)

>98%⁴

Surface wettability of ZrN

Similar to mirror polished CoCrMo

Thermal oxidation resistance (in air)

500°C

Chemical oxidation resistance

Resistant to PH>7 froming oxide passivation layer (not oxidizing)

Resistance to sterilization

All common methods allowed

Implant applications

Orthopaedic, spine & trauma

¹higher coating thickness is possible under request
²pores are not through coating thickness. Few pores through coating thickness may occur.
³values from paper “xxxx”
⁴values from paper “xxxx”