A comparative study of titanium nitrides, TiN, TiNbN and TiCN, as coatings for biomedical applications

A strategy used to reduce wear of the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) component of orthopedic joint implants has been to coat the metallic part with a hard ceramic layer. The advantage of this procedure is to reduce both wear and ion release of the metal while keeping a high mechanical resistance. In the present study, the performance of three titanium nitride coatings: TiN, TiNbN, and TiCN for biomedical applications was assessed in terms of their surface properties and cytotoxicity. The morphology, chemical composition, and wettability were determined through atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurement, respectively. The tribological behaviour of the coatings rubbing against UHMWPE in lubricated conditions was investigated using a pin-on-disk apparatus. Albumin adsorption on the three coatings was studied with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and AFM scratching. Cytotoxicity was determined both in direct or indirect contact of the cells with the coating materials. The results demonstrate that the three coatings have similar surface properties and are not cytotoxic. TiNbN seems to have the best tribological performance in the presence of albumin, although albumin adsorption is slightly higher on TiN.