Crevice and fretting corrosion of stainless‐steel plates and screws

Abstract

Mechanisms of corrosion at the areas of contact between screw heads and plate holes were investigated using electrochemical potential recording techniques. Static crevice corrosion was studied with plates and screws in isotonic and hypertonic saline solutions (0.9 to 7.2% NaCl). Fretting corrosion was studied in vitro with plates screwed to tubular bone analogs which were subjected to cyclic axial loads, and was studied in vivo with plates screwed on the tibia of sheep. Static tests showed that crevice corrosion does not occur in isotonic saline for periods up to one year, but can occur in hypertonic saline solutions. Dynamic loading tests demonstrated immediate potential changes which were related to the magnitude of the applied load, indicating fretting corrosion due to motion between screw head and plate, both in vitro and in vivo. A mechanism for screw‐plate relative motion is proposed. It is hypothesized that corrosion seen in clinically retrieved implants due to fretting corrosion which predisposes the contact area to crevice corrosion attack.