Designing Multi-Component β-Ti Alloys with Low Young's Modulus

Abstract

[(Mo,Sn)(Ti,Zr)14]Nb1 serial alloy compositions were designed using a cluster-plus-glue-atom model to receive BCC β-Ti alloys with low Youngs modulus (E) in Ti-based multi-component systems, where the square brackets enclose the coordination polyhedron cluster CN14 of the BCC structure and Nb is the glue atom. These serial alloys were prepared into rods with a diameter of 6 mm by copper-mould suction casting method. XRD and tensile test results indicated that all these alloy series possessed a monolithic BCC structure except [SnTi14]Nb1 and [(Mo0.5Sn0.5)Ti14]Nb1 due to Sn deteriorating BCC structural stability. A combination of Mo0.5Sn0.5 at the cluster center, as well as low-E Nb and Zr in the glue and cluster shell respectively, can reach simultaneously low E and high BCC stability, incarnated in the [(Mo0.5Sn0.5)(Ti13Zr)]Nb1 alloy which has the lowest E of 48 GPa in the suction-cast state.

Effect of Nb glue atom in the cluster formula on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Mo alloy

“…This elastic modulus value is substantially lower than the elastic moduli of Ti-Mo-Nb alloys reported in the literature. [17][18][19] Furthermore, Ti-11.1Mo-10.8Nb alloy possessed both lower elastic modulus and higher yield strength, which are also desirable for orthopaedic applications because of the large elastic recovery strain.…”