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Assessment of Ti–16Nb–xZr alloys produced via PIM for implant applications

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Abstract

Titanium and its alloys are used in production of implants such as knee and hip prostheses due to their superior properties. Ti–Nb–Zr ternary alloys are preferred over other metallic implant materials due to the presence of non-toxic elements, high corrosion resistance, good biocompatibility, and proper mechanical properties. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of zirconium addition on α → β phase transformation, microstructure, and mechanical behavior of Ti–16Nb alloy. In doing so, Ti–16Nb–xZr (x: 0, 5, 10, 15 mass%) alloys are produced by powder injection molding, which offers advantages such as low cost, net shape, and easy production of complicated parts for implant fabrication. X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscope images showed that zirconium behaves as a β stabilizer and according to differential thermal analysis, and it decreases α to β transition temperature approximately 30 °C. It is also revealed that increasing zirconium content caused finer microstructure and hardness of the alloy was raised from 336 HV0.5 to 412 HV0.5 while elastic modulus remains approximately steady between 103 and 110 GPa. It is concluded that Ti–Nb–Zr alloys have been found to be a good alternative to known metallic implant materials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Sakarya University BAPK for their financial support of the Project (BAPK-2016-09-08-009). One of the authors (A.G.) would like thank to Miss. Hazal ERDOĞAN, from Western Sydney University, Australia, for her efforts on editing the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedical, Magnetic and Semiconductor Materials Application & Research Center, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey

    Eren Yılmaz & Fehim Findik

  2. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Technology, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey

    Azim Gökçe & Fehim Findik

  3. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Technology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Hamit Özkan Gulsoy

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  1. Eren Yılmaz
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  2. Azim Gökçe
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Correspondence to Azim Gökçe.

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Yılmaz, E., Gökçe, A., Findik, F. et al. Assessment of Ti–16Nb–xZr alloys produced via PIM for implant applications. J Therm Anal Calorim 134, 7–14 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6808-0

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