Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Various Solution Treated Biomedical Superelastic NiTi Shape Memory Alloy: An Experimental Investigation
摘要
The near-equiatomic nickel-titanium shape memory alloy has become a competitive bioimplant material due to its exclusive shape memory and superelastic behavior. However, its poor mechanical properties compared to other implant materials greatly confine its application in biomedical industries. Hence, the main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of various solution and ageing treatments on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of biomedical superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy. The Ti2Ni and Ni3Ti precipitates were formed in as-furnace cooled, as-water quenched, and as-ice quenched NiTi alloys, whereas the monoclinic B19'-NiTi martensite phase was observed along with Ti2Ni and Ni3Ti precipitates in as-liquid nitrogen quenched NiTi alloy. The isothermal ageing treatment results in the formation of Ni4Ti3 precipitates irrespective of quenching media. Among all the solution-treated and isothermally aged NiTi alloys, the liquid nitrogen-quenched NiTi alloy exhibited better mechanical performance for an ageing period of 10 h. The liquid nitrogen-quenched isothermally-aged NiTi alloy exhibited maximum hardness and ultimate tensile strength were recorded as 471.66 Hv and 1129 MPa, surpassing the as-furnace cooled NiTi alloy by more than 53.80% and 3.78% respectively. The ductile, cleavage fracture and quasi-cleavage fracture patterns were observed during tensile fractography analysis.