Implant Applications of Highly Corrosion-Resistant Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta Alloy

Abstract

The release of metal ions from the Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta alloy in pseudo body fluids was compared with those from Ti-6Al-4V and vanadium-free Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys widely used as implantable titanium alloys throughout the world, in order to choose an optimum acceleration solution for immersion testing. Bone plates, artificial hip joints of the cementless type and artificial tooth implants were experimentally fabricated using the Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta alloy. The quantities of titanium ions released from the titanium alloys into phosphate-buffered saline, α-medium and fetal bovine serum were very small, and much lower than those released into 1.2 mass% L-cysteine, 0.05 mass%HCl and 1 mass% lactic acid solutions with lower pH values than the phosphate-buffered saline and α-medium. It was suggested that 1 mass% lactic acid solution was promising as an acceleration solution for immersion test. The quantities of titanium ions released from the Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta alloy into fetal bovine serum, 1.2 mass% L-cysteine, 0.05 mass%HCl and 1 mass% lactic acid solutions were approximately 30% of those of titanium ions released from the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The total quantity of zirconium, niobium and tantalum ions released from the Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta alloy was much smaller than that of elements released from the Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys. Bone plates, artificial hip joints and artificial tooth implants were successfully fabricated with the Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta alloy using conventional manufacturing processes. The Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta alloy with its excellent corrosion resistance is expected to become the preferential titanium alloy for implant applications in the future.

Tensile Behavior and Cold Workability of Ti-Mo Alloys

“…Metastable titanium alloys are interesting in deformation properties, such as extraordinary elasticity, 1,2) various deformation mode, [3][4][5] shape memory effect 6) and marvelous clayey plasticity; 7) therefore they are now recognized as advanced materials for biomedical applications, 8,9) etc. These properties are concerned with the inherent transformations including 0 -, 00 -martensites and !-phase athermally formed by quench of the alloys.…”

Japanese research and development on metallic biomedical, dental, and healthcare materials

“…• Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta 26 are being investigated, in addition to dental casting of Ti-15Zr-4Nb-4Ta 27 and the beta-type titanium alloys listed previously. The usage of Ti6Al-7Nb 28 is increasing over Ti-6Al-4V.…”

Mechanical Property, Fatigue Strength and Clinical Trial of Dental Cast Ti–15Zr–4Nb–4Ta Alloy

“…1) Our research group previously reported on the effects of Zr, Nb, Ta and Pd on the mechanical properties of Ti alloys and the biocompatibilities of these alloys with cultured cells, and on the corrosion resistance of Ti alloys, as determined using anodic polarization tests in synthetic body fluids. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The mechanical strength at room temperature of this new Ti-Zr-Nb-Ta alloy annealed at 700 C for 2 h is increased by adding Zr and small quantities of oxygen and nitrogen. 4,5,9) The anodic polarization property of the Ti alloy is improved when Zr, Nb, Ta and Pd are added, because the resultant ZrO 2 , Nb 2 O 5 , Ta 2 O 5 and PdO strengthen the TiO 2 passive film formed on the Ti alloy.…”