Yoon Seok Lee

Predominant factor determining wear properties of β-type and (α+β)-type titanium alloys in metal-to-metal contact for biomedical applications

The predominant factor determining the wear properties of a new titanium alloy, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr (TNTZ) and a conventional titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V extra-low interstitial (Ti64) was investigated for TNTZ and Ti64 combinations in metal-to-metal contacting bio-implant applications. The worn surfaces, wear debris, and subsurface damages were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy and electron-back scattered diffraction analysis. The volume loss of TNTZ is found to be larger than that of Ti64, regardless of the mating material. The wear track of TNTZ exhibits the galled regions and severe plastic deformation with large flake-like debris, indicative of delamination wear, which strongly suggests the occurrence of adhesive wear. Whereas, the wear track of Ti64 have a large number of regular grooves and microcuttings with cutting chip-like wear debris and microfragmentation of fine oxide debris, indicative of abrasive wear combined with oxidative wear. This difference in the wear type is caused by severe and mild subsurface deformations of TNTZ and Ti64, respectively. The lower resistance to plastic shearing for TNTZ compared to that of Ti64 induces delamination, resulting in a higher wear rate.

Wear transition of solid-solution-strengthened Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr alloys by interstitial oxygen for biomedical applications

In previous studies, it has been concluded that volume losses (V loss) of the Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr (TNTZ) discs and balls are larger than those of the respective Ti-6Al-4V extra-low interstitial (Ti64) discs and balls, both in air and Ringers solution. These results are related to severe subsurface deformation of TNTZ, which is caused by the lower resistance to plastic shearing of TNTZ than that of Ti64. Therefore, it is necessary to further increase the wear resistance of TNTZ to satisfy the requirements as a biomedical implant. From this viewpoint, interstitial oxygen was added to TNTZ to improve the plastic shear resistance via solid-solution strengthening. Thus, the wear behaviors of combinations comprised of a new titanium alloy, TNTZ with high oxygen content of 0.89 mass% (89O) and a conventional titanium alloy, Ti64 were investigated in air and Ringers solution for biomedical implant applications. The worn surfaces, wear debris, and subsurface damage were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy and an electron probe microanalysis. V loss of the 89O discs and balls are smaller than those of the respective TNTZ discs and balls in both air and Ringers solution. It can be concluded that the solid-solution strengthening by oxygen effectively improves the wear resistance for TNTZ materials. However, the 89O disc/ball combination still exhibits higher V loss than the Ti64 disc/ball combination in both air and Ringers solution. Moreover, V loss of the disc for the 89O disc/Ti64 ball combination significantly decreases in Ringers solution compared to that in air. This decrease for the 89O disc/Ti64 ball combination in Ringers solution can be explained by the transition in the wear mechanism from severe delamination wear to abrasive wear.

Wear Properties of Ti-6Al-4V/Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr Combination for Spinal Implants

The wear mechanisms of a conventional titanium alloy, Ti–6Al–4V extra-low interstitial (Ti64), and a new titanium alloy, Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr alloy (TNTZ) were studied to investigate the wear properties of a Ti64/TNTZ combination for spinal fixation devices. Balls and discs made of Ti64 and TNTZ were prepared to be used as wear-test specimens. Frictional wear tests of Ti64 and TNTZ discs were carried out against Ti64 and TNTZ balls in air using a ball-on-disc frictional wear testing system. The wear mechanisms were investigated by analysis of worn surfaces and wear debris using scanning electron microscopy. Volume losses of the TNTZ discs were found to be larger than those of the Ti64 discs, regardless of mating ball. Furthermore, the morphologies of wear tracks and debris were found to be different between TNTZ and Ti64 discs. It is considered that the wear mechanism for a Ti64 disc is oxidative wear, whereas that for a TNTZ disc is delamination wear, regardless of mating ball material.

Difference of Microstructure and Fatigue Properties between Forged and Rolled Ti-6Al-4V

In the Present Study, the Effects of the Microstructural Morphologies of a Ti-6Al-4V (Ti-64) Alloy on its Fatigue Behavior Were Investigated. Ti-64 Bars Were Subjected to Two Different Thermo-Mechanical Processing Methods. The First Sample, Referred to as Material-A, Had a Forged Microstructure with the Average Primary α Volume Fraction of 44%. The Second One, Referred to as Material-B, Had a Hot-Rolled Microstructure with the Average Primary α Volume Fraction of 43%. Fatigue Tests Were Performed on each Sample to Obtain S-N Curves. The Microstructure of each Sample Was Observed Using an Optical Microscopy in Order to Measure the Grain Sizes of the Primary α and Secondary α Phases. The Results of the Fatigue Tests Indicated that Material-B Demonstrates Better Fatigue Strength than Material-A. The Microstructure of the Longitudinal Section of each Material Was Also Observed to Analyze the Results of the Fatigue Tests. The Measured Diameters and Volume Fractions of the Primary α Phases of the Two Types of Materials Are Similar. On the other Hand, the Secondary α Width of each Material Is Different. It Is Found that Fatigue Strength Is Related to the Width of the Secondary α Phase.

Effect of subsurface deformation on sliding wear behavior of Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr alloys for biomedical applications

The wear mechanisms of conventional Ti–6Al–4V extra-low interstitial (Ti64) and the new Ti–29Nb–13Ta–4.6Zr (TNTZ) were studied to investigate the wear properties of Ti64/TNTZ for application in spinal fixation devices. Ti64 and TNTZ balls and discs were first prepared as wear-test specimens. A ball-on-disc frictional wear-testing machine was used in air to perform the frictional wear tests of the Ti64 and TNTZ discs mated against Ti64 and TNTZ balls. The wear mechanisms were investigated using a scanning electron microscopy to analyze the worn surfaces and wear debris. The volume losses for the TNTZ discs were larger than those for the Ti64 ones, regardless of the mating ball material. Furthermore, the morphologies of the wear tracks and the debris of the Ti64 and TNTZ discs were different, suggesting that the wear mechanisms for the Ti64 and TNTZ discs were abrasive and delamination wear caused by mild and severe subsurface deformations of the Ti64 and TNTZ, respectively, regardless of the mating ball material.

Difference of Wear Behavior between Ti‐29Nb‐13Ta‐4.6Zr Alloy and Ti‐6Al‐4V ELI Alloy for Biomedical Applications

A biomedical β-type titanium, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr alloy (TNTZ), exhibits good biological and mechanical biocompatibilities due to containing non-toxic elements and lower Young’s modulus than that of a conventional (α+β)-type titanium alloy, Ti-6A1–4V ELI alloy (Ti64). One of the expected applications for TNTZ is spinal fixation applications. However, screws and rods are contacted each other in this kind of application, while titanium alloys generally exhibit poor wear resistance. Therefore, the wear characteristics of TNTZ and Ti64 were investigated in this study. Balls and discs made of TNTZ and Ti64 were prepared for a ball-on-disc wear test. As the results of microstructural analysis, it was found that the morphologies of wear tracks and debris of TNTZ are different from those of Ti64 because different wear mechanism is predominant in each alloy.