A review of Gum Metal: Developments over the years and new perspectives

Abstract

AbstractGum Metals are β-Ti alloys that present only non-toxic elements in their composition, low elastic modulus, good formability, and excellent biocompatibility. The composition of these alloys needs to fulfill some electronic criteria to present their typical properties. In addition, during their processing, Gum Metal must be significantly deformed, which can be obtained by cold rolling or swaging. Over the last years, several new processing routes and alloy compositions have been proposed to meet these requirements, expanding the range of properties for Gum Metal, and increasing their extent of application. Although being relatively new, Gum Metal has been extensively studied. However, there is a lack of a review that encompasses the findings obtained over the years, as well as its future perspectives. This review aims to critically discuss and analyze Gum Metal development, with a special focus on new compositions, processing routes, and applications. Moreover, future perspectives are explored as well. Graphical abstract