Biocompatible β-type
Ti alloys with high ultimate tensile
strength (UTS) and yield strength are potential candidates for certain
orthopedic and cardiovascular implants. Aiming for these applications,
Ti alloy with 14 wt % Mn (Ti–14 Mn) as β-stabilizer was
processed through thermomechanical treatment along with solutionizing
and quenching, followed by 95% cold rolling, which resulted in ultrahigh
UTS and yield strength. 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolimbromide
assay with different cell lines suggests efficient cell growth on
alloy surface without compromising biocompatibility. Cell adhesion
and spreading assay show that cells are not only able to attach to
the alloy surface but also able to spread and grow with normal morphology,
which projects this material as a potential candidate for biomedical
application. Previous studies on binary β-type Ti alloy systems
treated with the above-mentioned processing route confirm the presence
of nanoscale phase separation, which enhances its mechanical properties.
To discover the same phenomena in the alloy of the present study,
bright-field and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy
(HRTEM) imaging experiments were performed and nanoscale contrast-modulated
lamella regions were observed. Geometrical phase analysis on complex-valued
exit wave, reconstructed using focal series HRTEM images, demonstrates
that the lamella is a result of d-spacing modulation.
Ab initio calculation indicates that d-spacing modulation
with the same crystal structure occurs due to composition modulation
and was proved by scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging
coupled with quantitative energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Correlating
contrast, strain, and composition modulation confirms nanoscale phase
separation, which is the first report of this phenomenon in Ti–Mn
alloy system.