IMPROVEMENT IN MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF LOW-MODULUS β-Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr SYSTEM ALLOYS BY MICROSTRUCTURAL CONTROL VIA THERMOMECHANICAL PROCESSING

Abstract

Mechanical performance parameters such as the fatigue strength, tensile strength, ductility and Young's modulus of newly developed Ti -29 Nb -13 Ta -4.6 Zr , referred to as TNTZ, can be improved considerably by microstructural control via thermomechanical processing. Thermomechanical processing including severe cold wire drawing can generate functionalities such as super elasticity in TNTZ. The abovementioned improvement in the mechanical performance and functionality of TNTZ is associated with its nanosize structure. The cytotoxicity of TNTZ is very low and equivalent to that of pure titanium. It is expected that TNTZ will be used as a structural biomaterial.