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Bimodal (mixed coarse and fine) grain structures, which have been observed in some Nb-containing thermomechanically-controlled rolled steel plates, adversely affect their mechanical properties by causing scatter in cleavage fracture stress values. It is known that bimodal grain structures can develop during reheating prior to rolling; however, no quantitative predictions of the level of bimodality or the critical reheat temperatures for formation have been reported. In this article, three high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel slabs with varying microalloying additions (Ti, Nb, and V) have been characterized in the as-continuously cast and reheated (to various temperatures in the range 1050°C to 1225°C) conditions to determine the link between their grain size distribution (and any bimodality observed) and the microalloy precipitate type, size, and distribution. The as-cast slabs showed inhomogeneous microalloying precipitate distributions with the separation between precipitate-rich and precipitate-poor regions being consistent with interdendritic segregation and hence, the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS). The susceptibility of the slabs to the formation of bimodality, based on the steel chemical compositions and critical reheat temperature ranges has been identified, both experimentally and theoretically using ThermoCalc (Thermo-Calc Software, Stockholm, Sweden) modeling of precipitate stability in the solute-rich and the solute-depleted regions formed during casting.

Cementless fixation for orthopedic implants aims to obviate challenges associated with bone cement, providing long-term stability of bone prostheses after implantation. The application of porous titanium and its alloy-based implants is emerging for load-bearing applications due to their high specific strength, low stiffness, corrosion resistance, and superior osteoconductivity. In this study, coagulant-assisted foaming was utilized for the fabrication of porous TiAl V using egg-white foam. Samples with three different porosities of 68.3%, 75.4%, and 83.1% and average pore sizes of 92, 178, and 297 μm, respectively, were prepared and subsequently characterized for mechanical properties, osteogenesis, and tissue ingrowth. A microstructure-mechanical properties relationship study revealed that an increase of porosity from 68.3 to 83.1% increased the average pore size from 92 to 297 μm with the subsequent reduction of compresive strength by 85% and modulus by 90%. Samples with 75.4% porosity and a 178 μm average pore size produced signifcant osteogenic effects on human mesenchymal stem cells, which was further supported by immunocytochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction data. Quantitative assessment of bone ingrowth by micro-computed tomography revealed that there was an approximately 52% higher bone formation and more than 90% higher bone penetration at the center of femoral defects in rabbit when implanted with TiAl V foam (75.4% porosity) compared to the empty defects after 12 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson trichrome (MT) staining along with energy-dispersive X-ray mapping on the sections obtained from the retrieved bone samples support bone ingrowth into the implanted region.