USE OF SN AND PORE SIZE CONTROL TO IMPROVE BIOCOMPATIBILITY IN POLYCRYSTALLINE DIAMOND COMPACTS

• Main Authors: BUNTON TIM, DESPRES ALFRED S, GARDINIER CLAYTON F, MEDFORD TROY J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.10.2013
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

Polycrystalline diamond compacts for use in artificial joints achieve reduced corrosion and improved biocompatibility through the use of solvent metal formulations containing tin and through the control of solvent metal pore size, particularly in inner layers of the compact. Solvent metal formulations containing tin have been discovered which provide sintering ability, part strength, and grind resistance comparable to levels achieved by using CoCrMo solvent metals. It has been discovered that limiting the solvent metal pore size in the diamond layers minimizes or eliminates the occurrence of micro cracks in the solvent metal and significantly reduces the corrosion of the compact as manifested by the release of heavy metal ions from the compact. Polycrystalline diamond compacts which utilize both the solvent metal formulations containing tin and the control of pore sizes achieve significantly reduced corrosion and improved biocompatibility compared to prior art polycrystalline diamond compacts.