Diffusion of Interstitial Elements in Ti Alloys used as Biomaterials

Titanium alloys are excellent implant materials for orthopedic applications due to their desirable properties, such as good corrosion resistance, low elasticity modulus, and excellent biocompatibility. The presence of interstitial elements (such as oxygen and nitrogen) causes strong changes in the material's mechanical properties, mainly in its elastic properties. Study of the interaction among interstitial elements present in metals began with Snoek's postulate, that a stress-induced ordering of interstitials gives rise to a peak in the mechanical relaxation (internal friction) spectra. In the mechanical relaxation spectra, each species of interstitial solute atom gives rise to a distinct Snoek's peak, whose temperature and position depend on the measurement frequency. This effect is very interesting because its peculiar parameters are directly related to the diffusion coefficient (D) for the interstitial solute. This paper presents a study of diffusion of heavy interstitial elements in Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloys using mechanical spectroscopy. Pre-exponential factors and activation energies are calculated for oxygen and nitrogen in theses alloys.

Cytotoxicity study of some Ti alloys used as biomaterial

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diffusion of Nitrogen in Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al Alloys

Metals with a bcc crystalline structure such as Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al alloys have their physical properties significantly changed through the addition of interstitial elements such as oxygen and nitrogen. These metals can dissolve substantial amounts of interstitial elements forming solid solutions. Mechanical spectroscopy measurements constitute a powerful tool for studying interactions of these interstitial elements with other elements that make up the alloy. From these measurements, it is possible to obtain information regarding diffusion, interstitial concentration, interaction between interstitials, and other imperfections of the crystalline lattice, In this paper, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al alloys with several amount of nitrogen, in a solid solution, were studied using mechanical spectroscopy (internal friction) measurements. The results presented complex internal friction spectra which were resolved in a series of constituent Debye peaks corresponding to different interactions and interstitial diffusion coefficients. Pre-exponential factors and activation energies were calculated for nitrogen in theses alloys.

Diffusion of Interstitial Solutes in Nb-46wt% Ti Alloys Measured by Mechanical Spectroscopy

The mechanical properties of metals with a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure, such as Nb, Ta, V, and their alloys, are modified with the introduction of interstitial impurities, such as O, N, C, or H. These metals can dissolve great amounts of O and N, for example, to form solid solutions. The interstitial solute atoms (ISA) in metals with a bcc structure occupy octahedral sites and cause local distortion with tetragonal symmetry. So ISA in these metals forms an elastic dipole that can align along one of the three cubic axis of the crystal. In the present paper, the torsion pendulum technique was employed for the investigation of various interactions among the metallic matrix and different interstitial solutes in the Nb-46wt%Ti alloy. From the relaxation spectra, we obtained the diffusion coefficients, pre-exponential factors, and activation energies for nitrogen in the Nb-46wt%Ti alloy.

Oxygen diffusion in Ti-10Mo alloys measured by mechanical spectroscopy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Oxygen Diffusion in Ti-20Mo Alloys, used as Biomaterial, Measured by Mechanical Spectroscopy

Titanium alloys are favorable implant materials for orthopedic applications, due to their desirable properties such as good corrosion resistance, low elasticity modulus, and excellent biocornpatibility. The research on titanium alloys is concentrated in the beta type, as the Ti-20Mo alloys and the addition of interstitial elements in these metals cause changes in their mechanical properties. The mechanical spectroscopy measurements have been frequently used in order to verify the behavior of these interstitials atoms in metallic alloys. This paper presents the study of oxygen diffusion in Ti-20Mo alloys using mechanical spectroscopy measurements. A thermally activated relaxation structure was observed in the sample after oxygen doping. It was associated with the interstitial diffusion of oxygen atoms in a solid solution in the alloy. The diffusion coefficient for the oxygen diffusion in the alloy was obtained by the frequency dependence of the peak temperature and by using a simple mathematical treatment of the relaxation structure and the Arrhenius law.

Effect of heavy interstitials on anelastic properties of Nb-1.0 wt% Zr alloys

The mechanical properties of metals with bcc structure, such as niobium and its alloys, have changed significantly with the introduction of heavy interstitial elements. These interstitial elements (nitrogen, for example), present in the alloy, occupy octahedral sites and constitute an elastic dipole of tetragonal symmetry and might produce anelastic relaxation. This article presents the effect of nitrogen on the anelastic properties of Nb-1.0 wt% Zr alloys, measured by means of mechanical spectroscopy using a torsion pendulum. The results showed complex anelastic relaxation structures, which were resolved into their constituent peaks, representing each relaxation process. These processes are due to stress-induced ordering of the interstitial elements around the niobium and zirconium of the alloy.

Anelastic Relaxation Measurements in Nb-46wt%Ti Alloys with Interstitial Solutes in Solid Solution

Anelastic relaxation measurements were performed in a Nb-46wt%Ti alloy, in the temperature range of 300 to 700 K, using a torsion pendulum operating at an oscillating frequency near 2.0 Hz. The samples were measured in different conditions: cold worked, annealed in ultra-high vacuum and doped with several quantities of nitrogen. The relaxation spectra obtained were resolved into their component peaks, corresponding to the different kinds of interaction of the interstitial solutes with the metallic matrix. The relaxation parameters of each process were calculated using Debye's elementary peaks.

Electrocatalysis on noble metal and noble metal alloys dispersed on high surface area carbon

In this work, a simple route to prepare carbon supported Pt/C, Pt:Ru/C, Pt:Mo/C and Pt:Ru:Mo/C catalysts is reported. The electrochemical properties of the several carbon materials used as substrates in the absence and in the presence of supported platinum and platinum alloys catalysts were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and employing the thin porous coating electrode technique. The activity of the dispersed catalysts composed of Pt/C with respect to the oxygen reduction and of alloy/C with respect to methanol oxidation was investigated using steady state polarization measurements. The performance with respect to the oxygen reduction reaction of the Pt/C catalyst prepared on heat-treated Vulcan carbon substrate is equivalent to that reported in the literature for the state-of-the-art electrocatysts. Pt:Ru:Mo/C samples prepared in this work presented the higher catalytic effect for methanol electro-oxidation.

Qualitative and quantitative characterization of aluminium alloys after corrosion testing

The 2024 and 7050 aluminium alloys used as aircraft components were subjected to laboratory corrosion tests in sodium chloride solution, Light-microscope examinations make it possible to characterise morphological aspects of the localised corrosion. Image analysis was used to determine both depth and width of pits over corroded surfaces. It has been concluded that the annealing could reduce the pit growth in both alloys, by means of grains recrystallization or recovery. The 2024 alloy also tends to present an exfoliation mechanism, mainly throughout non-recrystallized and recrystallized grain boundaries, increasing the width and sustaining the depth of pit cavities during exposition to saline atmosphere. SEM and EDS analysis reveal the morphology and elemental distribution of the corrosion products formed after immersion corrosion test. Some of these products were identified by X-ray diffraction analysis. For 2024, Al(OH)(3), MS(OH)(2) and Cu2O were found. AI(OH)(3) and Cu2O were also found in 7050 samples.

A metallurgical study of aluminium alloys used as aircraft components

The effects of heat treatment on morphologies and microstructures of Al 2024 and Al 7050 alloys, used as aircraft components, were studied by metallographic techniques. Light microscopy (LM) and quantitative image analysis were used to characterize the precipitate dispersion and morphology for these alloys. The application of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) combined techniques for studying these multiphase systems makes it possible to distinguish and quantify the different phases in the surface structure. Xray diffraction also permitted a qualitative comparison of the structures before and after heat treatments.

Preparation of Ni-Ti-Mo and Ni-Ti-Mo-Zr Alloys by High-Energy Ball Milling and Subsequent Hot Pressing

This work discusses on the preparation of Ni-45Ti-5Mo, Ni-40Ti-10Mo and Ni-46Ti-2Mo-2Zr (at-%) alloys by high-energy ball milling and hot pressing, which are potentially attractive for dental and medical applications. The milling process was performed in stainless steel balls (19mm diameter) and vials (225 mL) using a rotary speed of 300rpm and a ball-to-powder weight ratio of 10:1. Hot pressing under vacuum was performed in a BN-coated graphite crucible at 900 degrees C for 1 h using a load of 20 MPa. The milled and hot-pressed materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron scanning microscopy, and electron dispersive spectrometry. Peaks of B2-NiTi and Ni4Ti3 were identified in XRD patterns of Ni-45Ti-5Mo, Ni-40Ti-10Mo and Ni-46Ti-2Mo-2Zr powders milled for 1h. The NiTi compound dissolved small Mo amounts lower than 4 at%, which were measured by EDS analysis. Moreover, it was identified the existence of an unknown Mo-rich phase in microstructures of the hot-pressed Ni-Ti-Mo alloys.

Wear resistance of experimental titanium alloys for dental applications

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mechanical, physical, and chemical characterization of Ti-35Nb-5Zr and Ti-35Nb-10Zr casting alloys

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)