Design, Development, and Characterization of a Novel Amorphous Ti-10Nb-10Zr-5Si-5Sn-5Cu Biomaterial Alloy

Amorphous bulk metallic glasses have unique properties that can outperform typical metallic biomaterials. Primarily, bulk metallic glasses made of Ti alloys are pleasing choices for both biomaterial and lightweight material purposes. However, due to the large amount of rare, expensive, and toxic elements, the demand for common Ti-based bulk metallic glasses with several millimeters of thickness via casting is severely limited. The Ti-10Nb-10Zr-5Si-5Sn-5Cu (TNZSSC) alloy, a novel biomedical material, was produced by arc melting in this study. Using thermodynamic models, the probability of amorphization of this alloy was examined. Ti-10Nb-10Zr (TNZ) and TNZSSC alloys were analyzed before and after melt spinning to determine their microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. Results show that TNZ alloy is mainly composed of alpha and beta phases, while TNZSSC has a completely beta structure. Compared to the TNZ alloy, the elastic modulus of this alloy was drastically decreased to 60 GPa. The powder was then created using a gas atomizer for 3D metal printing industries for medical applications. The effects of the additions of Nb, Zr, Si, Sn, and Cu to the Ti system on the GFA, as well as its mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, were studied and explained in detail. Also, phase analysis has revealed the amorphous structure of designed alloy, with a higher thermal stability than the conventional metallic glass.