Laser additive manufacturing of Beta Ti-Nb alloy and TiC-reinforced composites designed for biomedical applications

• Grant number: 24/00306-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: José Eduardo Spinelli
• Grantee: Vinícius Richieri Manso Gonçalves
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/18293-8 - Titanium alloys: phase transformations and additive manufacturing applied to obtaining functionally graded materials, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/08589-0 - Microstructural and mechanical correlations of Beta Ti-Nb alloy and TiC-reinforced composites in-situ fabricated by additive manufacturing, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Worldwide, there is a growing demand for orthopedic prostheses, such as hip and knee prostheses, that exhibit greater durability and enhanced performance. In this context, Beta-type titanium-niobium (Ti-Nb) alloys have attracted considerable interest, primarily due to their combination of low elastic modulus and high corrosion resistance. However, the low wear resistance of metallic materials, in general, remains a limiting factor, as the degradation of the metallic implant can be accelerated due to the friction that occurs in a corrosive environment. A strategy to enhance the wear resistance of Beta Ti-Nb alloys can be based on the addition of hard particles as the reinforcement. In other words, Ti-based matrix composites (TMCs) can be produced by incorporating carbon-rich powders into Beta Ti-Nb alloys. In this sense, chemical reactions may occur during processing, promoting the precipitation of hard TiC particles, thus known as the in-situ route for producing TMCs. Indeed, due to in-situ reactions, a strong interfacial bond between the matrix and reinforcement can be achieved to result in the desired combination of properties. Recent studies have demonstrated the production of wear-resistant in-situ Beta-type TMCs via conventional melting. However, as an innovative approach, additive manufacturing (AM) will be applied to produce new in-situ Beta-type TMCs. In this sense, the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technique will allow to process powder mixtures of Beta Ti-42Nb alloy with graphite, investigating different proportions for the mixture. Therefore, the present project aims to study the processing conditions and materials selected to produce new materials via AM, combining high wear resistance with low elastic modulus, as promising alternative materials for biomedical application.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GONCALVES, VINICIUS RICHIERI MANSO; CORREA, DIEGO RAFAEL NESPEQUE; CARDOSO, GIOVANA COLLOMBARO; DE ALMEIDA, GERSON SANTOS; ZAMBUZZI, WILLIAN FERNANDO; AFONSO, CONRADO RAMOS MOREIRA; LISBOA-FILHO, PAULO NORONHA; GRANDINI, CARLOS ROBERTO. Micro-arc oxidation treatment applied on the surface of β Ti-Nb matrix composites as a strategy to modulate cellular behavior. SURFACE & COATINGS TECHNOLOGY, v. 506, p. 15-pg., 2025-06-15. (18/00746-6, 18/18293-8, 15/50280-5, 24/00306-7, 22/15157-1, 24/03886-4)