Email this page

Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk [*].

Fill in your email details
1. * Your name:
2. * Your email address:
3. * Recipient name:
4. * Recipient email address:
Note: Smith & Nephew does not collect or make use of the email addresses or names provided here. They are only used to show the recipient who has sent the message.
Change the message if you want to
1. To: <recipient name> <address>
2. From: <sender name> <address>
3. Subject: <sender name> is sending you a link
4. Hi,
  I saw this on the Smith & Nephew site and thought you might be interested.
5. <sender name>

OXINIUM™

Oxidized Zirconium

OXINIUM Material

What is the OXINIUM material?

OXINIUM^◊ oxidized zirconium is a metallic alloy with a ceramic surface that provides wear resistance without brittleness.

OXINIUM^◊ material combines the best of both metal and ceramics.

It is a metal, with excellent fracture toughness like cobalt chrome, but it has a ceramic surface that offers outstanding wear resistance.³

The ceramic is an enhanced surface that is part of the metal substrate rather than an external coating, making it very durable.

Zirconium: a biocompatible metallic element in the same family as titanium.

Zirconia: a ceramic compound, wear-resistant but brittle.

Zr-2.5Nb: a metallic alloy of zirconium, with niobium and oxygen for increased strength.

Quality Control for OXINIUM Components

Extensive research and development indicated four critical control points to ensure a consistent quality product, as follows:

Raw materials inspection
Pre-oxidization surface preparation
Oxidization process
Post-oxidization surface burnishing

All components undergo inspection to ensure that the ceramic oxide is uniform and the correct thickness. A non-destructive laser measurement technique provides a means for 100% quality assurance inspection of components.

References

3. M. Long, L. Riester, and G. Hunter, “Nano-hardness measurements of oxidized Zr-2.5Nb and various orthopaedic materials”, Trans. Soc. Biomaterials, 21, 1998, p. 528.