Grindability of Ti−Nb−Cu Alloys for Dental Machining Applications

Abstract

We developed high-strength Ti−Nb−Cu alloys and investigated their grindability. The grindability of each alloy was evaluated based on the volume of metal removed per minute (grinding rate) and on the ratio of the metal volume removed to the volume of the wheel material lost (grinding ratio). The grinding rate of the Ti-6%Nb-4%Cu, Ti-18%Nb-2%Cu, and Ti-24%Nb-1%Cu alloys significantly exceeded that of unalloyed titanium at high, medium, and low grinding speeds, respectively. Additionally, the Ti-6%Nb-4%Cu alloy exhibited an excellent grinding ratio. Generally, materials with high strength and hardness frequently exhibit poor machinability; however, the Ti−Nb−Cu alloys developed in our study presented favorable grindability characteristics and, therefore, demonstrated good potential for application as dental titanium alloys that can be subjected to computer-aided design/manufacturing processes.