Evaluation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Ti10Mo8Nb Alloy for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

The growth of the elderly population is urging for more suitable biomaterials to allow the performance of better surgical and implant procedures and accelerate the patient’s healing because the elderly are more vulnerable to orthopedic and dental problems. β-phase Ti alloys can improve the mechanical properties of implants by reducing their elastic modulus and, consequently, the effects of stress shielding within bones. Therefore, the objective of this article is to study a novel ternary β-phase alloy of Ti10Mo8Nb produced by an electric arc furnace and rotary forge. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the Ti10Mo8Nb alloy were investigated in order to evaluate its suitability for biomedical applications and compare its characteristics with those present in Ti-alloys commerced or widely researched for prosthetic purposes. A tensile test, Vickers microhardness test, use of microstructure of optical microscopy for examination of microstructure, X-ray diffraction and hemolysis analysis were carried out. Thus, the Ti10Mo8Nb alloy showed suitable properties for biomedical applications, as well as having the potential to reduce the possibility to occur stress shielding after prosthetic implantations, especially for orthopedics and dentistry.

Processing and Characterization of a New Quaternary Alloy Ti10Mo8Nb6Zr for Potential Biomedical Applications

“…At the end of the processing, a microstructure similar to that found after the first quenching was found. The average grain size at the end of the processing route was 228.7 μm, similar to that obtained in a study with the Ti 10 Mo 8 Nb alloy, 220.7 μm [ 43 ]. Therefore, the addition of zirconium had little influence on the recrystallization of grains.…”

“…Another aspect observed is about the types of transformations that occurred. All decomposition of the beta-phase in the Ti 10 Mo 8 Nb alloy, observed in a previous study [ 43 ], are of first-order transitions; therefore, zirconium should also influence the transformation mechanism of the structure.…”

“…Molybdenum and niobium are known beta-stabilizers, which have a very strong effect on the beta-transus temperature, which can be observed in the thermal analysis of the Ti 10 Mo 8 Nb alloy [ 43 ]. The decrease in beta-transus temperature when adding zirconium, although less expressive, is in line with the behavior reported in the literature, which observes an influence of zirconium in the stabilization of the beta-phase when other beta-stabilizer elements are present in the composition [ 17 , 18 ].…”

“…Therefore, Young’s modulus is lower than that of CP Ti (115 GPa) and Ti 6 Al 4 V alloy (110 GPa) [ 1 , 4 ], a positive result for bone tissue applications. Zirconium influenced the drop in Young’s modulus of the studied alloy, as the preceding ternary alloy, Ti 10 Mo 8 Nb, when produced by the same processing route, showed a superior Young’s modulus: 90 GPa [ 43 ].…”

“…In general, zirconium and niobium favored a decrease in Young’s modulus and an increase in toughness and deformation. Therefore, our aim in the present study was to evaluate the influence of zirconium addition on the properties of the ternary system Ti 10 Mo 8 Nb previously evaluated by our group [ 31 , 32 , 43 ]. Mechanical and microstructural characterization was performed for the quaternary alloy Ti 10 Mo 8 Nb 6 Zr, and its potential for biomedical applications was evaluated.…”