Study of nontoxic aluminum and vanadium-free titanium alloys for biomedical applications

Pure titanium and its alloys are the most attractive materials for biomedical applications. Studies have shown that β-type titanium alloys, containing the elements Mo, Zr, Nb, Ta and Fe, can exhibit an elastic modulus lower than Ti–6Al–4V alloy. This work describes the microstructures and mechanical properties of two β-type titanium alloys, Ti–8Nb–13Zr and Ti–18Nb–13Zr (wt.%), which were produced by furnace arc-melting in argon atmosphere, heat treatment and rotary swaging. Microstructural analyses of the materials in as-cast and heat-treated conditions are performed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical characterization of these alloys is based on tensile and hardness tests. Results indicate that the route of thermomechanical processing is available to obtain a homogeneous martensitic α′ microstructure and good mechanical properties for the alloys, which can be used for biomedical applications.