Electrochemical Evaluation of Advanced Titanium Alloys in Simulated Physiological Environments

Modern biomedical implant materials include Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) and Ti-6Al-7Nb (Ti67). While these metallic alloys perform well in general, there is an ongoing need to have longer lasting implants given the rapid increase in the longevity of the world's population. Currently, aseptic loosening is a critical issue related to implants and is caused by the deterioration of the bone adjacent to the implant by osteoclasts, resulting in the loosening of the implant. The current project investigates the corrosion behavior of a new class of titanium alloys containing boron as potential candidates for orthopedic implants. These metallic alloys show increases in yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength with boron additions. Using a modified test based on ASTM F2129, the corrosion behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloys with different boron contents were determined in lactated Ringer's solutions. The electrochemical data obtained were analyzed to compute corrosion potentials and corrosion currents. The results of these tests will be compared to corrosion data obtained for tests in Hank's Balanced Salt Solutions and Phosphate Buffered Saline