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Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Mo-Nb alloys designed using the cluster-plus-glue-atom model for orthopedic applications

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of niobium on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Mo-Nb alloys, which include Ti-11.1Mo-10.8Nb (TMN1), Ti-10.2Mo-19.5Nb (TMN2), and Ti-9.2Mo-26.7Nb (TMN3) alloys designed using the cluster-plus-glue-atom model. The molybdenum equivalence, average electron concentration ratio, and d-electron method approaches were used to predict the stability of the β phase. Microstructural analysis was performed using x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction, while the microhardness tests, tensile tests, and bend tests were also conducted. The microstructure of the TMN alloys comprised primarily the β phase and secondary martensitic α″ and athermal ωath phases. Their elastic moduli of the TMN alloys were far greater than those of the common orthopedic implant materials. The alloys showed superior tensile strengths, bend strengths, and microhardness due to the solid solution effect of both Mo and Nb and the precipitation hardening of the ωath. Brittle fracture resulting from the existence of the ωath phase in the alloys was also observed. The designed metastable TMN alloys designed using a synergic combination of the approaches of the cluster-plus-glue-atom model and the β-phase predicting tools can be promising candidates for orthopedic applications.

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Availability of data and material

The data that supports the findings of this study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This research was financially supported by the National Research Foundations (NRF), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa, through Thuthuka Grant No. 115859.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Meiring Naudé Road, Brummeria, Pretoria, 0184, South Africa

    Lerato Raganya, Nthabiseng Moshokoa & Ronald Machaka

  2. Department of Metallurgy, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Lerato Raganya, Nthabiseng Moshokoa, Babatunde Obadele, Elizabeth Makhatha & Ronald Machaka

  3. Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, 10071, Boseja, Palapye, Botswana

    Babatunde Obadele

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  1. Lerato Raganya
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Correspondence to Lerato Raganya.

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Raganya, L., Moshokoa, N., Obadele, B. et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Mo-Nb alloys designed using the cluster-plus-glue-atom model for orthopedic applications. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 115, 3053–3064 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-07308-8

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