Applications of Hafnium and other Transition Metals in Medicine – A Review

Abstract

Transition metals in the periodic table have been used in biological systems naturally. Synthetically, many materials have been used in the field of prosthodontics for the replacement of missing teeth. The research on these materials originally began from titanium which belongs to group 4 of the transition elements in the periodic table. Titanium has also established itself as the gold standard in prosthodontic and orthopedic replacements. After titanium, zirconium and hafnium were explored for the same purpose and till date researchers have been working on its feasibility. Extending this research, various metal options were studied by multiple biomaterial companies and researchers. Hafnium in the periodic table, which belongs to the group 4 elements, was also explored sufficiently. Nanoparticles are proven to have properties like strength, being lighter and cleaner, and contributing to smarter surface systems. This property has led to great contributions in the field of biomedical research and biomaterial development. Due to increased awareness of nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles are extensively studied for various biomedical applications. At the nanoscale, the properties of particles may change in unpredictable ways. This review highlights the use of transition metals in biology, including emphasis on the metal nanoparticles for biomedical applications.