<p>Titanium and its alloys, while standard for biomedical implants, lack inherent antibacterial properties, posing significant infection risks. Alloying with Ag is a known antibacterial strategy, but previous methods have been limited to laboratory-scale production and often suffer from Ag segregation and the formation of brittle intermetallics, which compromise mechanical property. This study demonstrates the successful industrial-scale production of a compositionally homogeneous Ti-0.9&#xa0;wt.%Ag alloy strip (0.5&#xa0;mm × 380&#xa0;mm × 1300&#xa0;m) via vacuum arc remelting (VAR) and subsequent plastic forming. Microstructural analysis confirmed the complete and uniform dissolution of Ag into the α-Ti matrix as a solid solution, successfully preventing the formation of detrimental intermetallics like Ti<sub>2</sub>Ag. Consequently, the Ti-Ag alloy strip exhibits exceptional broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy, with rates exceeding 99% against three clinically prevalent bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium). This potent activity is attributed to the sustained release of Ag<sup>+</sup> ions from the homogeneous solid solution structure. Critically, this antibacterial property is coupled with superior mechanical performance. The alloy demonstrates an increase in tensile strength of 337&#xa0;MPa over TA1 (303&#xa0;MPa) while retaining excellent ductility (46% compared to 49% for TA1). The combination of scalable manufacturing, potent antibacterial activity, and robust mechanical performance positions this low-Ag-content alloy as a highly promising material for next-generation infection-resistant biomedical implants.</p>

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Industrial-Scale Production of a Low-Ag-Content Ti-Ag Alloy with Enhanced Antibacterial Efficacy and Comprehensive Mechanical Performance

  • Hongfei Zhang,
  • Shaohui Zhang,
  • Mingjie Shi,
  • Jiajing Yang,
  • Xiaojie Fan,
  • Jinwu Lu

摘要

Titanium and its alloys, while standard for biomedical implants, lack inherent antibacterial properties, posing significant infection risks. Alloying with Ag is a known antibacterial strategy, but previous methods have been limited to laboratory-scale production and often suffer from Ag segregation and the formation of brittle intermetallics, which compromise mechanical property. This study demonstrates the successful industrial-scale production of a compositionally homogeneous Ti-0.9 wt.%Ag alloy strip (0.5 mm × 380 mm × 1300 m) via vacuum arc remelting (VAR) and subsequent plastic forming. Microstructural analysis confirmed the complete and uniform dissolution of Ag into the α-Ti matrix as a solid solution, successfully preventing the formation of detrimental intermetallics like Ti2Ag. Consequently, the Ti-Ag alloy strip exhibits exceptional broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy, with rates exceeding 99% against three clinically prevalent bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium). This potent activity is attributed to the sustained release of Ag+ ions from the homogeneous solid solution structure. Critically, this antibacterial property is coupled with superior mechanical performance. The alloy demonstrates an increase in tensile strength of 337 MPa over TA1 (303 MPa) while retaining excellent ductility (46% compared to 49% for TA1). The combination of scalable manufacturing, potent antibacterial activity, and robust mechanical performance positions this low-Ag-content alloy as a highly promising material for next-generation infection-resistant biomedical implants.