Influence of Mo equivalent in the corrosion resistance of Ti-10Mo-xNb alloys
摘要
β Ti alloys are gaining attention in biomedical applications due to their favorable combination of mechanical properties, including their low elastic modulus and corrosion resistance. In this context, β Ti-10Mo-xNb (x = 0, 6, 9, 20, and 30 wt.%) alloys with different Mo equivalent (Moeq) values were designed and produced. The relationship among the alloy composition (Moeq), microstructure, and corrosion properties was investigated. The results were compared with those of the commercial Ti-6Al-4V and commercially pure Ti (cp-Ti) alloys. Results showed that the increase in Moeq led to the stabilization of the β phase in the Ti-10Mo-xNb system. The microstructure varied as follows: α” + ω + β (low-Moeq) → β (high-Moeq), which is consistent with the reported transformation mechanisms in β-type alloys. All Ti-10Mo-xNb alloys produced exhibited hardness values higher than those of cp-Ti. Among them, the Ti-10Mo, Ti-10Mo-6Nb and Ti-10Mo-9Nb alloys with low-Moeq showed hardness values comparable to the Ti-6Al-4 V alloy. The Ti-10Mo-20Nb (74 GPa) and Ti-10Mo-30Nb (94 GPa) with high-Moeq showed significantly lower modulus values compared to both cp-Ti and the Ti-6Al-4 V alloy. All the Ti-10Mo-xNb alloys exhibited high corrosion resistance, attributed to the formation of a stable titanium oxide passive film after exposure to the physiological saline solution. Alloys with low-Moeq exhibited relatively higher corrosion resistance, whereas those with higher high-Moeq showed reduced effectiveness of the protective film. The Ti-10Mo-20Nb alloy (high-Moeq), however, exhibits the most favorable overall balance, combining the lowest elastic modulus with high corrosion resistance.