Development of a biocompatible Ti-Nb alloy for orthopaedic applications

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 655; no. 1; pp. 12022 - 12029
• Main Authors: Fikeni, L, Annan, K A, Seerane, M, Mutombo, K, Machaka, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Alloy powders; Alloying elements; Ball milling; Biocompatibility; Cold welding; Mechanical alloying; Mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; Niobium; Orthopedics; Surgical implants; Titanium alloys; Titanium base alloys; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/655/1/012022

Metallic biomedical implants such as titanium-based alloys are very useful for orthopaedic applications due to their excellent properties which responds to changes in temperature and other conditions. However, biological toxicity due to alloying elements and relatively high Young's modulus or mechanical incompatibilities of previously used Ti alloys have necessitated the development of biocompatible alloys with compatible mechanical properties such as beta-titanium alloys. This study aims at production of beta-titanium alloy with enhanced properties by varying milling speeds. Ti and Nb powders were mechanically alloyed using the high energy ball-mill Zoz-Simoloyer® to produce Ti-7Nb alloys by varying the milling speed. The milling process produced irregular shaped powders with increasing particles sizes as the milling speed increased due to fragmentation and cold welding during agglomeration. The mechanical alloying process had good yield. The predominant phases of the inhomogeneously milled alloy were alpha and beta phases.