Factors affecting surgical alloy/bone cement interface adhesion.

Interfaces were formed between acrylic bone cement and three commonly used surgical alloys (316L SS, Co-Cr-Mo, and Ti-6A1-4V), in an attempt to further define cementation parameters of acrylic bone cement for use in orthopaedic surgery. Metal/cement interfaces were made at three distinct times during the setting cycle of the cement and were cured for 1 hr, 1 day, and 1 week. The metals were prepared with roughly polished or finely polished prepassivated surfaces. Tensile bond strengths and residual cement on metal coverage data indicated that, for each metal system, interfaces created prior to and at the onset of the dough stage formed superior interfaces for implantation compared to those formed late in the dough stage. Furthermore, electropolishing plus prepassivation offered a more efficient bonding surface than mechanical polishing.