This experimental in vitro study evaluated the influence of screw length on the mechanical properties of a locking reconstruction plate designed with locking rings inserted into plate holes. Synthetic bone cylinders with 10 mm fracture gap and seven-hole locking reconstruction plates were used. Two groups of bone-plate constructs were assembled: Group 1 – three monocortical screws on each fracture side, Group 2 - three bicortical screws on each fracture side. In each group nine bone-plate constructs were tested until failure, three each in bending, compression and torsion. In each group, 21 bone-plate constructs were tested for failure in fatigue testing, seven each for bending, compression and torsion. In all static testing no significant differences were found between G1 and G2, except ultimate moment in torsion test (G2>G1; P=0.008). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between groups in axial compression fatigue testing (G1>G2; P<0.05) and four-point bending fatigue testing (G1<G2; P<0.05) in maximum load, minimum load, maximum moment, and minimum moment. In conclusion, screw length can affect the mechanical properties of locking reconstruction plate. Compared to bicortical screws, monocortical screws were less resistant to bending than axial compression. This must be considered when choosing implant, particularly in fractures under high axial loads.

Neste trabalho, tubos de aço inoxidável supermartensítico (AISM) foram soldados por fricção radial (SFR) e suas propriedades de corrosão foram estudadas através de ensaios de polarização anódica em solução de 3,5 % de NaCl e da técnica eletroquímica de reativação potenciocinética de ciclo duplo (DL-EPR). As medidas foram realizadas em amostras extraídas de diferentes regiões da solda SFR, i.e., metal de base (MB), interface de soldagem e anel consumível (AC). As propriedades de corrosão foram discutidas em termos da microestrutura metalúrgica resultante em cada região. A precipitação de carbonetos de Cr que ocorre durante o tratamento de revenimento causa um empobrecimento em Cr substancial na estrutura revenida do MB (Ir/Ia = 54,22%). Por outro lado, as regiões do AC e da interface de soldagem, que tiveram suas microestruturas transformadas e seus precipitados de carboneto de Cr redissolvidos pelo ciclo termomecânico de soldagem SFR, apresentam um baixo grau de empobrecimento em Cr (Ir/Ia < 1%). A microestrutura do AC, composta de uma mistura de martensita temperada e austenita retida, apresenta maior resistência à corrosão localizada do que a estrutura revenida do MB. Também foi observado que a ferrita-δ diminui a resistência à corrosão por pites na região da interface de soldagem.

In this work, supermartensitic stainless steel pipes were radial friction (RF) welded and their corrosion behavior were studied based on potentiodynamic polarization and double loop - electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) tests. Measurements were performed on samples taken from the base metal (BM), weld interface, and consumable ring (CR) of the RF weldment. The corrosion properties were discussed in terms of their resulting metallurgical microstructure. The precipitation of Cr carbides that takes place during the tempering treatment induces a substantial Cr depletion value (Ir/Ia = 54,22%). On the other hand, CR and weld interface regions, which had their microstructure transformed and their Cr carbide precipitates redissolved by the RF welding thermomechanical cycle, present a low level of Cr depletion (Ir/Ia < 1%). The AC microstructure, which is composed of a mixture of virgin martensite and stable retained austenite, presents an increase in pitting corrosion resistance compared to the tempered structure of the BM region. It was also observed that the δ-ferrite decreases the pitting resistance of the weld interface region.