Ti-25Ta-Zr alloys for biomedical applications

Full text: The most widely used titanium alloy for biomedical applications is Ti-6Al-4V, however, previous studies showed that vanadium cause allergic reactions in human tissue and aluminum has been associated with neurological disorders. Then, to solve this problem, new titanium alloys without the presence of these elements are being developed, with the addition of different elements, usually the β-stabilizers, which can change its microstructure and mechanical properties, and may make the titanium and its alloys, most promising for use as biomaterial. In this paper the development and characterization of Ti-25Ta-(10-40)Zr alloys, for biomedical applications are discussed. X-ray diffraction results show the coexistence of α', α" and β phases, which are corroborated by SEM results. The results of microhardness and elastic modulus present an anomaly for the alloy with 10 wt% Zr, due, probably the presence of ω phase. (author)