Mechanical and Corrosion Behavior of New Generation Ti-45Nb Porous Alloys Implant Devices

Strategies to improve the mechanical compatibility of Ti-based materials for hard tissue implant applications are directed towards significant stiffness reduction by means of the adjustment of suitable β-phases and porous device architectures. In the present study, the effect of different compaction routes of the gas-atomized β-Ti-45Nb powder on the sample architecture, porosity, and on resulting mechanical properties in compression was investigated. Green powder compacted and sintered at 1000 ◦C had a porosity varying between 8% and 12%, strength between 260 and 310 MPa, and Young’s modulus ranging between 18 and 21 GPa. Hot pressing of the powder without or with subsequent sintering resulted in microporosity varying between 1% and 3%, ultimate strength varying between 635 and 735 MPa, and Young’s modulus between 55 and 69 GPa. Samples produced with NaCl space-holder by hot-pressing resulted in a macroporosity of 45% and a high strength of >200 MPa, which is higher than the strength of a human cortical bone. Finally, the corrosion tests were carried out to prove that the presence of residual NaCl traces will not influence the performance of the porous implant in the human body.