While silicon carbide has excellent properties for ceramic-on-ceramic joint prostheses, the wear rate is affected by tribochemical reaction. In this study, wear of silicon carbide was investigated in water whose dissolved oxygen density is controlled. According to the result, wear rate in oxygen rich or oxygen poor water is higher than the wear rate in normal water. The major mechanism of wear in oxygen rich environment is tribochemical reaction while third body abrasion is predominant in oxygen poor condition. It is found that moderate tribochemical reaction contributes to keeping wear low in an artificial joint of silicon carbide.

Keywords: Artificial joint, Ceramic-on-ceramic joint, Silicon carbide, Tribochemical reaction, Third body abrasion, Dissolved oxygen density