Optimization of chemical compositions of elastic-modulus changeable titanium alloys for biomedical applications

Abstract

Recently, many new Ti alloys with low elastic moduli were designed for biomedical applications. However, all of these alloys can't meet the requirements both of surgeon and patient with spinal disease; surgeon hopes the material with high elastic modulus, but requirement from patient is on the contrary. In this study, in order to develop a new Ti alloy with changeable elastic modulus, the chemical composition of Ti-Cr alloys were optimized. The elastic modulus increases by the formation of deformation-induced omega phase transformation. Further, the increase in elastic modulus of Ti-12mass%Cr alloy is largest among the Ti-(10-14mass%)Cr alloys. Therefore, Ti-12mass%Cr alloy is the most suitable chemical compositions among these alloys for spinal fixation applications.