Investigation of failures in stainless steel orthopaedic implant device

Failure investigation was carried out on a failed orthopaedic total knee prosthesis removed from a patient. In this prosthesis the weld joint between two sections was found to be weak and hence its capacity to withstand the load bearing forces are not completely balanced and evenly distributed. As a result bending and torsional stresses due to dynamic and cyclic loading had been concentrated on the welded section of the prosthesis. Moreover, the welded construction contained deficiencies such as delta ferrite, heat affected zone and macro cavities. However, the grain size, inclusion content and chemical composition of the prosthesis were within the limits recommended by ASTM standard. Therefore, the failure of the total knee prosthesis was a result of improper welding at the critical site.     

Microstructural banding and failure of a stainless steel

The presence of microstructural bands in AL-6XN stainless steel plate has been examined. The bands, which consist of a high density of second-phase particles, are located near the midthickness of the plate, range in thickness up to 300 μm, and are continuous over lengths up to 50 mm. Chemical analyses of the microstructural bands indicate elevated levels of chromium and molybdenum, while orientation imaging microscopy identified primarily sigma-phase particles within the bands; a small volume fraction of chi phase was also found. Tensile specimens oriented in the short transverse direction of the plate show low ductility and exhibit a large variation in failure strains, depending on the continuity of the bands as well as the presence of large precipitate particles within the bands. When oriented in either the longitudinal or the long transverse direction of the plate, circumferentially notched tensile specimens exhibit comparatively high ductility, although at high stress triaxialities, the material was susceptible to specimen splitting parallel to the tensile axis due to cracking along microstructural bands.     

Strain induced martensite formation in stainless steel

The Conversion Electron and X-ray Mössbauer studies of the surface of Type 316 stainless steel at 400 K, 300 K, and 100 K show that both the substitutional and interstitial elements perturb the cubic symmetry at the iron site. The single peak of austenite is a superposition of at least five quadrupole split doublets whose magnitudes and intensities depend on the type and concentration of the impurity elements. However, when the surface of the stainless steel is plastically deformed, a layer of martensite about 5000 Å thick is formed on the austenite base. This layer consists of a mixture of 31 pct martensite with the rest being the original austenite. The magnetic environment of the iron in this martensite is controlled by the concentration of alloying elements, and the distribution of the hyperfine fields is determined by the number of nearest and next nearest neighbor impurity atoms. The magnetic field decreases linearly at first as the number of nearest neighbors increases and then follows a nonlinear trend for a number of nearest neighbors. The temperature dependence of the sublattice magnetization is different for each number of neighbors, and a Curie temperature has been estimated for each site.     

Strain induced martensite formation in stainless steel

The Conversion Electron and X-ray M?ssbauer studies of the surface of Type 316 stainless steel at 400 K, 300 K, and 100 K show that both the substitutional and interstitial elements perturb the cubic symmetry at the iron site. The single peak of austenite is a superposition of at least five quadrupole split doublets whose magnitudes and intensities depend on the type and concentration of the impurity elements. However, when the surface of the stainless steel is plastically deformed, a layer of martensite about 5000 ? thick is formed on the austenite base. This layer consists of a mixture of 31 pct martensite with the rest being the original austenite. The magnetic environment of the iron in this martensite is controlled by the concentration of alloying elements, and the distribution of the hyperfine fields is determined by the number of nearest and next nearest neighbor impurity atoms. The magnetic field decreases linearly at first as the number of nearest neighbors increases and then follows a nonlinear trend for a number of nearest neighbors. The temperature dependence of the sublattice magnetization is different for each number of neighbors, and a Curie temperature has been estimated for each site.     

Electrochemical evaluation of a corrosion fatigue failure mechanism in a duplex stainless steel

Laboratory corrosion fatigue studies on smooth and precracked samples indicated that two duplex stainless steels would have similar service lives in a paper-processing environment; but, in service, one of these alloys has exhibited premature failures. Since corrosion fatigue experiments had proven unable to detect this failure mechanism, electrochemical measurements and slow strain rate tensile tests were used to evaluate four alloy composition-dependent failure mechanism hypotheses. No significant differences were found in the dissolution rates or hydrogen fugacities produced when mechanical processes expose bare surface, and slow strain rate tensile tests found no indication of a difference in cracking susceptibility for the same hydrogen fugacity. Electrochemical experiments found that pits nucleate in one phase of the duplex microstructure at lower potentials in the failure prone alloy, but do not propagate beyond the microscopic dimensions of this phase. These microstructurally limited “micropits” were found to nucleate fracture in slow strain rate tensile tests, and examination of a service failure confirmed the presence of microscopic pits at crack initiation sites. The premature failures are attributed to the lower pitting resistance of the failure prone alloy, and the failure of laboratory experiments to predict this behavior is attributed to the slow kinetics of pit nucleation in these experiments. A laboratory testing methodology is suggested that will ensure detection of similar susceptibilities in future corrosion fatigue testing programs.     

不锈钢吊环断裂失效原因分析

通过宏观检验、材质分析和金相分析等手段,并结合吊环的使用环境,对不锈钢吊环裂纹区域及断裂部位进行了分析,得出裂纹产生及断裂失效的原因,并提出了预防失效的措施.     

Hydrogen induced ductility losses in austenitic stainless steel welds

The effect of hydrogen on the tensile behavior of austenitic stainless steel welds was studied in two AISI 300 series alloys and two nitrogen strengthened alloys. The microstructure of these welds typically contained several percent ferrite in an austenite matrix. Hydrogen was found to reduce the ductility of all welds; however, the severity of ductility loss increased with increasing tendency to deform via a planar slip mode. In materials exhibiting large degrees of slip planarity, 304L and 308L, hydrogen changed the fracture mode from dimple rupture to a mixed mode of ductile and brittle fracture associated with the austenite-ferrite interface. The two alloys, 22-13-5 and 309S, which tend to deform by cross slip mechanisms, showed smaller losses in ductility even though hydrogen assisted the ductile rupture process by aiding void growth and coalescence, without changing the fracture mode. Varying the amount of ferrite from approximately one to 10 pct had no significant effect on performance in hydrogen.     

普碳钢和不锈钢在极低质量浓度盐酸溶液中的腐蚀规律

为了探究钢种在酸性环境中腐蚀开始加剧的溶液质量浓度范围,研究了不锈钢和普碳钢在极低质量浓度HCl溶液中的腐蚀行为。参照不锈钢晶间腐蚀试验方法,进行了不同质量浓度HCl溶液和反应时间的腐蚀试验,通过测量钢样失重率、表面侵蚀面积和溶液pH值,研究了样品的腐蚀规律。试验结果表明:在质量浓度为300mg/L盐酸溶液中,普碳钢侵蚀程度较大,并且容易开始剧烈腐蚀,在0~4h侵蚀最剧烈,侵蚀进程较快;而不锈钢侵蚀程度较小,在0~28h内逐步被侵蚀,侵蚀进程较慢。当HCl质量浓度达到50~70mg/L时,普碳钢腐蚀开始加剧,不锈钢在HCl质量浓度达到90~100mg/L时腐蚀开始加剧。     

Corrosion behavior of super 13Cr stainless steel in a H_2S and CO_2 environment

The corrosion behavior of 95 ksi grade super 13 Cr stainless steel in an environment consisting of H_2S and CO_2 was investigated.The results reveal that for both loading methods(constant load and four-point bending),local corrosion occurred on the surface of the samples tested at ambient temperature but was absent from the samples tested at high temperatures.The local corrosion was caused by the formation of pits at nonmetal inclusions; the pits were formed under the action of stress in an acidic environment, which was due to an acid solution.Subsequently, the corrosion extended along the direction of stress.The sensitivity of stress corrosion cracking increased because of the local corrosion.     

Prophylaxis in orthopaedic implant surgery--should we use a glycopeptide?

Multicenter trials are important for answering questions that require large numbers of subjects. Such trials require standardized implementation of behavioral change programs across diverse populations, regions, and staff. Researchers involved with the Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly conducted a 17-week pilot study of their most complex intervention (combined weight and sodium reduction) before actual start-up of the main study. This allowed staff to rehearse implementing the program and to identify and address intervention and standardization issues. Registered dietitians in 4 US communities recruited 28 participants for the pilot study, using eligibility criteria similar to those for the main trial. Participant evaluations reflected high satisfaction with the program materials and overall approach. Minor protocol changes suggested by results of the pilot study were made easily in time for start-up of the main study. Reductions in weight and sodium intake were less than targeted but were sufficient to suggest that the intervention would be effective under optimal conditions. This partial achievement of goals in the pilot study underscored the need to allow for a learning curve, for without it standardization and outcomes of the main study would be compromised.     

Rapid solidification of a droplet-processed stainless steel

Individual powder particles of a droplet-processed and rapidly solidified 303 stainless steel are characterized in terms of microstructure and composition variations within the solidification structure using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Fcc is found to be the crystallization phase in powder particles larger than about 70 micron diameter, and bcc is the crystallization phase in the smaller powder particles. An important difference in partitioning behavior between these two crystal structures of this alloy is found in that solute elements are more completely trapped in the bcc structures. Massive solidification of bcc structures is found to produce supersaturated solid solutions which are retained to ambient temperatures in the smallest powder particles. Calculated liquid-to-crystal nucleation temperatures for fcc and bcc show a tendency for bcc nucleation at the large liquid supercoolings which are likely to occur in smaller droplets. The importance of small droplet sizes in rapid solidification processes is stressed. Formerly with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.     

Resistance of low-carbon nitrogen-bearing stainless steel to hydrogen embrittlement and slow failure

The resistance of and low-carbon stainless steel, containing nitrogen and silicon, to hydrogen embrittlement and slow failure is investigated, in a corrosive medium with hydrogen saturation. The resistance is relatively high.     

Formability of stainless steel

The forming behavior of austenitic stainless steels (types 201, 301, and 304) and ferritic stainless steels (types 437, 439, 444, and 468) was investigated. The tensile behavior and the forming-limit diagrams (FLDs) for these grades were determined. The ferritic alloys behave similarly to plain carbon steels and are relatively insensitive to small variations of strain rate and temperature. The formability of the austenitic alloys is influenced greatly by martensitic transformation during straining. The fraction of martensite transformed as a function of strain was found to be very sensitive to temperature, which, in turn, depends on the strain rate at typical testing rates (10⁻³ to 10⁻¹/s). At low rates (when the specimen remains near room temperature), the formability of the austenitic alloys is markedly improved by transformation strengthening. The enhancement of formability is largest on the biaxial side of the FLD, because the fraction martensite transformed was found to depend on the absolute thickness strain, which is maximized in the balanced biaxial strain state.     

Corrosion fatigue and stress corrosion cracking of type 304 stainless steel in boiling NaOH solution

Results are reported for corrosion fatigue of Type 304 stainless steel in boiling (140 C) 17.5M NaOH (46 wt pct) solution. Specimens, of the smooth round bar type, were cycled sinusoidally at 1.0 Hz in tension-tension about mean stresses of 248 MPa (36 ksi) and 124 MPa (18 ksi). Both solution annealed and sensitized specimens cracked readily in a transgranular mode. Sensitization did not increase the environmental effect. The caustic solution drastically shortened cyclic life and eliminated the endurance limit observed in air. Cyclic stress was a more important variable than mean stress as the lower mean stress did not significantly improve life. Anodic passivation did not increase cyclic life as it did for constant load SCC. Comparison of the SCC tests results with those of corrosion fatigue indicates that cyclic stresses, even when confined to the elastic region, accelerate failure more than sustained loads in the plastic region; this accelerative effect was most intense under anodic passivation. R. W. STAEHLE, formerly Professor of Metallurgical Engineering, and Director of The Fontana Corrosion Center, Ohio State University     

金属注射成形气雾化和水雾化316L不锈钢耐蚀性

对气雾化和水雾化316L不锈钢粉末进行注射成形和烧结,对烧结体的耐蚀性进行了测试和评价。结果表明通过控制烧结气氛,优化烧结温度,可以使烧结体具有较低的氮氧含量和较高的烧结密度,从而获得良好的耐蚀性。用5%HCl浸泡腐蚀和Ferroxyl腐蚀评级方法评定烧结不锈钢的耐蚀性,研究结果表明烧结水雾化316L不锈钢耐蚀性优于气雾化316L不锈钢。阳极极化曲线表明水雾化316L不锈钢烧结体在浓度为0.05 mol/L的硫酸中发生钝化,维钝电流约为10-4A/cm2。     

Internal hydrogen embrittlement of a ferritic stainless steel

AL 29-4-2 ferritic stainless steel was cathodically precharged with hydrogen at 230 ‡C in a molten salt electrolyte. Constant load crack growth tests were performed in air and in hydrogen gas at 108 kPa pressure at room temperature on both uncharged specimens and specimens containing 2 wt ppm hydrogen. The DC potential drop method was calibrated with optical measurements to continuously monitor the crack position, so that the crack velocity vs stress intensity relation could be calculated. From the test results, it was found that dissolved hydrogen does allow subcritical crack growth for tests in air, but its effect is masked by the external hydrogen for tests in hydrogen gas. The distribution of slip bands on the side surface indicates that the dissolved hydrogen causes localization of plasticity, with the strain concentrated in coarse slip bands. Comparing the embrittling effect of internal hydrogen with that of external hydrogen, it can be concluded that environmental hydrogen is far more damaging than internal hydrogen, at least in specimens containing 2 wt ppm hydrogen. J.-H. HUANG, formerly with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign     

双相沉淀硬化粉冶不锈钢的开发

不锈钢可通过压制与烧结水雾化粉末来制取.粉冶品级的不锈钢有铁素体、奥氏体、马氏体、两相(铁素体+奥氏体)、双相(铁素体+马氏体)以及沉淀硬化(马氏体)等不锈钢.开发双相粉冶不锈钢反映了对较高强度、较高延性与韧性的需求在增长.在本研究中,开发出一种新的低成本粉冶不锈钢,它将双相(铁素体+马氏体)显微结构与沉淀硬化的优点结合在一起.它与其他沉淀硬化合金不同,尽管这种不锈钢在时效后强度与韧性有所提高,但延性与冲击韧度的提高更大.借助组成与显微结构评估了新合金的力学性能.