Niobium-based oxides have garnered increased attention in recent years for their remarkable enhancement of corrosion resistance, as well as biofunctional properties of various metallic materials, including 316L SS. However, the mechanical properties of these promising coatings have not been fully elucidated. This study investigated how much the environmental conditions (air, artificial saliva, and NaCl solution) impact the wear performance of 316L SS without and with Nb₂O₅ coatings deposited via the reactive sputtering technique. The results exhibited a notable decrease in friction coefficient (55% in air, 18% in artificial saliva, 10% in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution), wear area (46% in air, 36% in AS, 17.5% in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution), and wear rate (44.0% in air, 19.5% in AS, 12.0% in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution). Ultimately, the results obtained in the present study elucidate the synergistic mechanisms of corrosion and wear in 316L SS containing Nb₂O₅ coatings, highlighting its significant potential for applications in the biomedical sector.

This research investigates the influence of Nb₂O₅ coatings, produced by using reactive sputtering technique, on the surface of middle-tension specimens M(T), regarding fatigue crack growth curves (da/dN versus ΔK) under exposure to a 0.6 mol L^–1 NaCl saline solution. Results demonstrated the corrosion process occurred in the vicinity of the crack tip, where stresses are elevated, and significant plastic deformation prevails, notably influenced by slip bands that induce microcracks, exposing fresh material layers to the corrosive surroundings. The Nb₂O₅ coatings enhanced the fatigue-corrosion resistance of the 2198-T851 aluminium alloy. This study marks an initial step towards more comprehensive investigations into the impact of Nb₂O₅ coating on improving the mechanical properties of the 2198-T851 aluminium alloy.