Development of Ti-Nb-Zr alloys with high elastic admissible strain for temporary orthopedic devices

Journal Reference

Acta Biomater. 2015;20:176-87. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2015.03.023.

Ozan S¹, Lin J², Li Y³, Ipek R⁴, Wen C⁵.

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Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
Advanced Material Research andDevelopment Center, Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational College, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130025, China.
School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3083, Australia.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia; School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3083, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].

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Abstract

A new series of beta Ti-Nb-Zr (TNZ) alloys with considerable plastic deformation ability during compression test, high elastic admissible strain, and excellent cytocompatibility have been developed for removable bone tissue implant applications. TNZ alloys with nominal compositions of Ti-34Nb-25Zr, Ti-30Nb-32Zr, Ti-28Nb-35.4Zr and Ti-24.8Nb-40.7Zr (wt.% hereafter) were fabricated using the cold-crucible levitation technique, and the effects of alloying element content on their microstructures, mechanical properties (tensile strength, yield strength, compressive yield strength, Young’s modulus, elastic energy, toughness, and micro-hardness), and cytocompatibilities were investigated and compared. Microstructural examinations revealed that the TNZ alloys consisted of β phase. The alloy samples displayed excellent ductility with no cracking, or fracturing during compression tests. Their tensile strength, Young’s modulus, elongation at rupture, and elastic admissible strain were measured in the ranges of 704-839 MPa, 62-65 GPa, 9.9-14.8% and 1.08-1.31%, respectively. The tensile strength, Young’s modulus and elongation at rupture of the Ti-34Nb-25Zr alloy were measured as 839 ± 31.8 MPa, 62 ± 3.6 GPa, and 14.8 ± 1.6%, respectively; this alloy exhibited the elastic admissible strain of approximately 1.31%. Cytocompatibility tests indicated that the cell viability ratios (CVR) of the alloys are greater than those of the control group; thus the TNZ alloys possess excellent cytocompatibility.

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About the author

Dr Sertan Ozan received his MSc and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Ege University, Turkey. During his PhD study, he has spent 18 months at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia as a visiting research student under supervision of Professor Cuie Wen. Currently, he is a research fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Bozok University, Turkey. His research focuses on the mechanical behaviour of metallic biomaterials and developing new Ti alloys.

About the author

Mr Jixing Lin received his BS (2004) and MS (2007) degrees from Jiangxi university of Science and Technology, China. He is currently a PhD candidate under supervision of Professor Guanyu Li at Jilin University and Professor Cuie Wen at RMIT University. Since 2015, he has been appointed as Associate Professor in the Advanced Material Research & Development Center, Zhejiang Industry and Trade Vocational College, China. His research interests include biocompatible titanium alloys, biodegradable magnesium alloys, corrosion and surface modification for metals and alloys.

About the author

Dr Yuncang Li obtained his PhD in Materials Engineering from Deakin University, Australia in 2004 and then took up a research fellow position in Biomaterials Engineering at Deakin University to the end of 2014. He joined RMIT University as a Senior Research Fellow of Biomaterials Engineering in the beginning of 2015. His research focuses on the developing of biomaterials, amorphous and nano-structured materials, titanium based shape memory alloys, biodegradable magnesium alloys, nano particulate-reinforced titanium composites and surface functionalisation on metallic implant materials. He has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles: ttps://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=1DlmTHgAAAAJ&hl=en.

About the author

Dr Cuie Wen is Professor of Biomaterials Engineering at RMIT University and leads the biomaterials research team. This team’s research focuses on biocompatible titanium alloys and scaffolds, shape memory alloys and surface modification, biodegradable magnesium alloys, nanostructured metals, alloys and composites, metal foams and nanolaminates. Cuie was Professor of Surface Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology from 2010 to 2014. She joined Deakin University as a Research fellow 2003 and was appointed senior researcher 2007 and associate professor 2010. She worked in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Japan) before she moved to Australia. She has published over 300 refereed articles: http://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/w/wen-professor-cuie/