Development and characterization of Ti-10Mo-25Zr alloy

• Grant number: 15/08462-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Physical Metallurgy
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Roberto Grandini
• Grantee: Gabriela Piovesan Santiago Suárez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The first titanium alloys used in biomedical applications were ± type alloys, such as commercially pure titanium and alloys developed for the aerospace industry. Then ± + ² type alloys have gained attention because of their wide range of properties, being the Ti-6Al-4V alloy the most used actually. However, there were reports that the release of aluminum and vanadium ions into the bloodstream could cause cytotoxic effects and neurological disorders (such as Alzheimer's disease). This new class of titanium alloys has sought ² type alloys, as they present lower modulus of elasticity. Such alloys have been produced with the addition especially of molybdenum, zirconium, tantalum and niobium, which are elements that do not exhibit cytotoxic reactions with the body. The modulus of elasticity (or Young's Modulus) is an important item for the making of an implant. A very big difference between the implant and the bone can cause discomfort to the patient, in addition to increasing the rate of implant failure. A material with high modulus of elasticity make that the local mechanical load is supported by the implant and not by the bone, that causes miss of bone density and get brittle. This uneven distribution of tension is called "stress shielding" effect. The objective of this project is to prepare and characterize new titanium alloys containing elements not cytotoxic to biomedical applications. The alloys will be designed using Molecular Orbital Theory and will be obtained by arc-melting and characterized chemically, structurally, microstructurally and mechanically, with the purpose of better understanding the relationship of the alloy microstructure and properties. (AU)