The necessity for biomedical components is increasing every year. However, Ti6Al4V, the most widely utilized titanium alloy for biomedical implants are very costly owing to the high price of V alloying element. Furthermore, both alloying elements Al and V, have adverse effects in human body which is not desirable. This review paper highlights significant findings on alloy design using low-cost alloying elements, their processing routes, and their relationship to microstructural, mechanical, and biological properties. Mo, Fe, Mn, Zr, and Cu were identified as low-cost alloying elements and fabrication of titanium alloys with these elements are usually carried out using arc melting, investment casting, powder metallurgy, additive manufacturing, diffusion couple, and thermomechanical processing. Several processing routes can be chosen to obtain optimum properties such as β-phase titanium alloy structure, low elastic modulus, and high strength. Alloy design, post-heat treatment process, and fatigue test for newly developed alloys are research that can be carried out in the future for the development of new titanium materials that are safe for human use and at a more affordable price.

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Titanium alloys are very interesting for biomedical applications due to excellent biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, lower density, and lower young modulus compared to cobalt and stainless steel alloys. However, compared to bone, young modulus of pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V are still relatively high and the mechanical properties are still insufficient to meet the needs of biomaterials replacing the hard tissues. In this paper, a newly Ti-Mo-Nb based alloys were designed and the effect of Sn content in Ti-6Mo-6Nb-xSn alloys (x = 0,4,8 and 12 wt%) after homogenized on microstructure, hardness, and young modulus were investigated. The alloys were produced by electric vacuum arc furnace with non-consumable tungsten electrode then homogenized at 1100 °C for 7 under controlled argon atmosphere. Optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction hardness test and ultrasonic test were used for alloys characterization. The results showed that Ti-6Mo-6Nb-xSn has equiaxed structure and Sn addition could promote the formation of β phase. The elasticity modulus of Ti-6Mo-6Nb-xSn alloy with the addition of 12% Sn was 88 GPa, this is better since it is below the elastic modulus of Ti6Al4V implant material.