Electrochemical corrosion of metallic biomaterials.

Methods of electrochemical thermodynamics (electrode potential-pH equilibrium diagrams) and electrochemical kinetics (polarization curves) may help to understand and predict the corrosion behaviour of metals and alloys in the presence of body fluids. A short review of the literature is given concerning some applications of such methods, both in vitro and in vivo, relating to surgical implants (stainless steels, chromium-cobalt-molybdenum alloys, titanium and titanium alloys) and to dental alloys (silver-tin-copper amalgams, silver-base and gold-base casting alloys, nickel-base casting alloys). Attention is drawn to the necessity of more basic research on crevice- and fretting-corrosion of surgical implant materials and dental alloys, and to the toxicity of corrosion products. A perfect understanding of the exact significance of electrode-potentials is essential for the success of such a task.