Electrochemical behavior of near-beta titanium biomedical alloys in phosphate buffer saline solution

The electrochemical behavior of three different near-β titanium alloys (composed by Ti, Nb and Sn) obtained by powder metallurgy for biomedical applications has been investigated. Different electrochemical and microscopy techniques were used to study the influence of the chemical composition (Sn content) and the applied potential on themicrostructure and the corrosion mechanisms of those titaniumalloys. The addition of Sn below4wt.% to the titanium powder improves the microstructural homogeneity and generates an alloy with high corrosion resistancewith lowelasticmodulus, beingmore suitable as a biomaterial.When the Sn content is above 4%, the corrosion resistance considerably decreases by increasing the passive dissolution rate; this effect is enhanced with the applied potential.The authors would like to thank the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion of the Spanish Government for the financial support under the project MAT2011-22481.Dalmau Borrás, A.; Guiñón Pina, V.; Devesa Albeza, F.; Amigó Borrás, V.; Igual Muñoz, AN. (2015). Electrochemical behavior of near-beta titanium biomedical alloys in phosphate buffer saline solution. Materials Science and Engineering: C. 48:55-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2014.11.036S55624

Surface Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) Nanocomposites Reinforced by Nano-Sized Silica (SiO2) for Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry

In the field of orthopedics and traumatology, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) serves a significant role as a suitable alternative to traditional metal-based implants like titanium. PEEK is being used more commonly to replace traditional dental products. For bonding with various adhesive agents and preserved teeth, the surface alteration of PEEK was investigated. The aim of this research was to understand how different types and contents of nano-sized silica (SiO2) fillers influenced the surface and mechanical properties of PEEK nanocomposites used in prosthodontics. In this work, PEEK based nanocomposites containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic nano-silica were prepared by a compression molding technique. The influence of nano-SiO2 type and content (10, 20 and 30% wt) on surface properties of the resultant nanocomposites was investigated by the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), surface roughness analysis, and contact angle measurement. The crystalline structures of PEEK/SiO2 nanocomposites were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. Mechanical properties were measured by microhardness, elastic compression modulus, and flexural strength. All nanocomposites showed increased surface roughness compared to pure PEEK. SEM images revealed that nanocomposites filled with low content hydrophobic nano-SiO2 showed uniform dispersion within the PEEK matrix. The introduction of 10 wt% of hydrophobic nano-SiO2 to the PEEK matrix improved elastic modulus, flexural strength, and microhardness, according to the findings. The addition of nano-SiO2 fillers in a higher weight percentage, over 10%, significantly damages the mechanical characteristics of the resultant nanocomposite. On the basis of the obtained results, PEEK/SiO2 nanocomposites loaded with low content hydrophobic nano-SiO2 are recommended as promising candidates for orthopedic and prosthodontics materials

Oxidation of Fe₃₅Mn₂₁Ni₂₀Cr₁₂Al₁₂ High Entropy Alloy in Dry Air

The isothermal oxidation of a Fe35Mn21Ni20Cr12Al12 high entropy alloy (HEA) was investigated in dry air for 50 h at 500, 600, and 700 °C after 90% cold rolling. The Fe35Mn21Ni20Cr12Al12 HEA behaves according to the linear oxidation rate with rate constants of 1 × 10−6, 3 × 10−6, and 7 × 10−6 g/(cm2·s) for oxidation at 500 °C, 600 °C, and 700 °C, respectively. The activation energy for oxidation of the HEA was calculated to be 60.866 KJ/mole in the 500–700 °C temperature range. The surface morphology and phase identification of the oxide layers were characterized. The formation of MnO2, Mn2O3, Mn3O4, Cr2O3, and Al2O3 in the oxide layers along with Fe2O3 is the key to the oxidation mechanism. The elemental mapping and line EDX scans were performed to identify the oxidation mechanisms

Improved Mechanical Properties and Bioactivity of Silicate Based Bioceramics Reinforced Poly(ether-ether-ketone) Nanocomposites for Prosthetic Dental Implantology

Polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) biomaterial has been increasingly employed for orthopedic, trauma, spinal, and dental implants due to its biocompatibility and in vivo stability. However, a lack of bioactivity and binding ability to natural bone tissue has significantly limited PEEK for many challenging dental implant applications. In this work, nanocomposites based on PEEK reinforced with bioactive silicate-based bioceramics (forsterite or bioglass) as nanofillers were prepared using high energy ball milling followed by melt blending and compression molding. The influence of nanofillers type and content (10, 20 and 30 wt.%) on the crystalline structure, morphology, surface roughness, hydrophilicity, microhardness, elastic compression modulus, and flexural strength of the nanocomposites was investigated. The scanning electron microscopy images of the nanocomposites with low nanofillers content showed a homogenous surface with uniform dispersion within the PEEK matrix with no agglomerates. All nanocomposites showed an increased surface roughness compared to pristine PEEK. It was found that the incorporation of 20 wt.% forsterite was the most effective in the nanocomposite formulation compared with bioglass-based nanocomposites; it has significantly improved the elastic modulus, flexural strength, and microhardness. In vitro bioactivity evaluation, which used biomimetic simulated body fluid indicated the ability of PEEK nanocomposites loaded with forsterite or bioglass nanofillers to precipitate calcium and phosphate bone minerals on its surface. These nanocomposites are expected to be used in long-term load-bearing implant applications and could be recommended as a promising alternative to titanium and zirconia when used as a dental implant material

Metallic materials for medical use

This article provides a brief overview of the metallic materials used as implants in orthopedics, the alloying system and a complex of the physical-mechanical properties for metallic materials certified for medical use, as well as the advantages and drawbacks of using metallic materials as implants. Approaches to improve the quality of an implant made of metallic materials are noted