Production and characterisation of mechanical properties of Ti–Nb–Ta–Mn alloys foams for biomedical applications

Abstract

Development of titanium foams with low Young’s modulus as a potential implant material has attracted significant attention. In this work, the effect of manganese on the mechanical properties in compression of Ti–13Ta–30Nb–xMn foams (x = 2–6 wt-%) has been studied. Titanium based alloys produced by mechanical alloying were processed to obtain foams using ammonium hydrogen carbonate with a mean particle size of 35 μm (50% v/v) as a space-holder. Powders and space-holder were mixed and uniaxially pressed to form compacts. The space holder was removed by heating the green compacts to 180°C for 1.5 h before sintering at 1300°C for 4 h in Ar. The Young’s modulus of the foam was lower than that of pure Ti, and the yield strength increased with the Mn addition. The Gibson–Ashby, Meyer and Nielsen models were applied to predict the mechanical properties of the titanium foams.

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge financial support from Fondecyt-Conicyt, project 1130417 and Dirección General de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, project 211225. This paper is based on a presentation at Euro PM 2014, organised by EPMA in Salzburg, Austria on 21–24 September 2014.