Total joint replacement is currently the most successful clinical treatment for improving the life quality of individuals afflicted with end-stage osteoarthritis of knee or hip joints. However, release of wear and corrosion products from the prostheses is a critical issue causing adverse physiological responses of local issues. b-SiC nanoparticles were dispersed into polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials and their role in
tribocorrosion performance of PEEK-steel joints exposed to simulated body fluid was investigated. It is demonstrated that b-SiC nanoparticles increase greatly the wear resistance of the PEEK materials, and meanwhile mitigate significantly corrosion of the steel counterpart. It is revealed that tribochemical reactions of b-SiC nanoparticles promoted formation of a robust tribofilm having complex structures providing protection and shielding effects. The present work proposes a strategy for developing high-performance polymer-on-metal joint replacement materials of enhanced lifespan and biocompatibility via tuning interface nanostructures.