Mechanical and corrosion properties of Ti-35Nb-7Zr-xHA composites fabricated by spark plasma sintering

To improve the bioactivity of Ti?Nb?Zr alloy,Ti?35Nb?7Zr?xHA(hydroxyapatite,x=5,10,15and20,mass fraction,%)composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering.The effects of the HA content on microstructure,mechanical and corrosionproperties of the composites were investigated utilizing X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscope(SEM),mechanicaltests and electrochemical tests.Results show that all sintered composites are mainly composed ofβ-Ti matrix,α-Ti andmetal?ceramic phases(CaO,CaTiO3,CaZrO3,TixPy,etc).Besides,some residual hydroxyapatites emerge in the composites(15%and20%HA).The compressive strengths of the composites are over1400MPa and the elastic moduli of composites((5%?15%)HA)present appropriate values(46?52GPa)close to that of human bones.The composite with15%HA exhibits low corrosion currentdensity and passive current density in Hank's solution by electrochemical test,indicating good corrosion properties.Therefore,Ti?35Nb?7Zr?15HA composite might be an alternative material for orthopedic implant applications.

Characterizations on Mechanical Properties and In Vitro Bioactivity of Biomedical Ti–Nb–Zr–CPP Composites Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering

To alleviate the bio-inert of Ti alloys as hard tissue implants, Ti–35Nb–7Zr–xCPP（calcium pyrophosphate,x = 5, 10, 15, 20 wt%） composites were prepared by mechanical alloying（MA） and following spark plasma sintering（SPS）. Mechanical behaviours and in vitro bioactivity of these composites were investigated systematically. Results showed that the composites consisted of β-Ti matrix, α-Ti, and metal–ceramic phases such as CaO, CaTiO3, CaZrO3, and TixPy. With increasing CPP content, the composites had higher strength（over 1500 MPa） and higher elastic modulus, but suffered almost zero plastic deformation together with lower relative density. When the CPP contents were 5 and 10 wt%,the compressive elastic moduli were 44 and 48 GPa, respectively, which were close to those of natural bones. However, the compressive elastic modulus of the composites increased significantly when CPP contents exceed 10 wt%, thus deteriorating the mechanical compatibility of the composites owing to more α-Ti and metal–ceramic phases. Besides, the surface of Ti–35Nb–7Zr–10CPP composite was deposited as a homogeneous apatite layer during soaking in simulated body fluid（SBF）. It indicates a good bioactivity between the implant materials and living bones.