Tribocorrosion Behavior of Ti–Cu Alloy in Hank’s Solution for Biomedical Application

Ti–Cu alloy has shown potential biomedical application due to its high strength, good corrosion resistance, good machinability, good biocompatibility and strong antibacterial properties. In this paper, the tribocorrosion behavior of Ti–Cu was investigated in comparison with commercial pure Ti. Tribocorrosion tests were carried out against silicon nitride sphere, with open-circuit potential (OCP) wear condition and potentiodynamic wear condition. OCP and coefficient of friction were recorded during the sliding process. The worn surface was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the worn profile was scanned to calculate the weight loss. The results have indicated that Ti–Cu exhibited better tribocorrosion properties than cp-Ti, abrasion being the main wear mechanism.