Corrosion Resistance of 3D-Printed Titanium Alloy Ti64-ELI Parts for Dental Application

Abstract

Corrosion in the human body can cause materials to change structurally and release undesirable products that may bring about complications such as toxicity and inflammation. These may jeopardize the mechanical stability of prostheses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of solutions (Ringer’s and table salt [NaCl]) and immersion periods on 3D-printed titanium alloy Ti64-ELI samples and the changes in mechanical properties before and after corrosion testing. The microstructure of prepared samples was analyzed, and the formation of α- and β-phases was studied. During testing, the β-phases showed up as white, and the α-phases presented as dark. In both, corrosion by pitting was observed after corrosion analysis. The results show that, by comparing NaCl and Ringer’s, the $E_{\text{corr}}$ of the solutions increased by 0.8 V and the $I_{\text{corr}}$ decreased by an order of magnitude. It was observed that the weight loss in the solutions will lead to dental implant instability and will cause failure.