Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Biocompatible Alloy, Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta-Sn

Abstract

Many current-generation biomedical implants are fabricated from the Ti-6Al-4V alloy because it has many attractive properties, such as low density and biocompatibility. However, the elastic modulus of this alloy is much larger than that of the surrounding bone, leading to bone resorption and, eventually, implant failure. In the present study, we synthesized and performed a detailed analysis of a novel low elastic modulus Ti-based alloy (Ti-28Nb-5Zr-2Ta-2Sn (TNZTS alloy)) using a variety of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and tensile test. Additionally, the in vitro biocompatibility of the TNZTS alloy was evaluated using SCP-1, SaOs-2, and THP-1 cell lines and primary human osteoblasts. Compared to Ti-6Al-4V, the elastic modulus of TNZTS alloy was significantly lower, while measures of its in vitro biocompatibility are comparable. O2 plasma treatment of the surface of the alloy significantly increased its hydrophilicity and, hence, its in vitro biocompatibility. TNZTS alloy specimens did not induce the release of cytokines by macrophages, indicating that such scaffolds would not trigger inflammatory responses. The present results suggest that the TNZTS alloy may have potential as an alternative to Ti-6Al-4V.

Microstructure and Physico-Mechanical Properties of Biocompatible Titanium Alloy Ti-39Nb-7Zr after Rotary Forging

“…Thus, the alloy demonstrates a single-phase β-state with a predominant <110>-fiber orientation along the rolling axis, which is the typical texture for the rolling of BCC alloys [41]. The calculated β-phase lattice spacing of 0.3296 nm is significantly higher than the extrapolated value for pure titanium (0.3282 nm [42]), this is attributed to the larger atomic size of the alloying elements (142.9 pm-Nb, 155.36 pm-Zr) compared to the titanium atom in the BCC lattice (142.11 pm) [43].…”

The Effect of Solution Treatment Duration on the Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of a Cold-Deformed-by-Rolling Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta-Sn-Fe Alloy

“…Recent works have focused on β-Ti alloys containing non-toxic β-stabilizing elements like Niobium (Nb), Zirconium (Zr), Tantalum (Ta), Tin (Sn), and Iron (Fe), which generally possess good mechanical properties, excellent corrosion resistance, low elastic moduli, and superior biocompatibility [23][24][25][26][27]. In Ti-based alloys, β-stabilizing elements, like Nb and Ta, are usually added to obtain the β phase at room temperature, and Zr and Sn are added to achieve better β-phase stability, thus enhancing its strength, while Fe, being a strong β-stabilizing element, is added to replace some expensive β-stabilizing elements (Nb and Ta) and to obtain a visible solid-solution strengthening effect at the same time [28][29][30].…”