Comparative study of the microstructure and elastic/mechanical properties of Ti-Zr-Cu-Pd-(Nb) and Ti-Zr-Fe-(Hf) alloys

Ti-based metallic glasses are particularly promising lightweight metallic materials for biomedical applications because of their high strength, excellent corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility. However, there are still some limitations e.g. lack of plasticity, which have to be considered in order to use these alloys for implants. Recent reports on Ti-based composites have demonstrated that desired mechanical properties combining high strength, tensile ductility and excellent fracture toughness can be achieved by proper alloy design and microstructure control. The aim of our work is to find alloys with the mechanical properties close to those of bone, containing neither toxic nor allergic elements and possessing large hardness and low Young´s modulus values, thus favoring their biomechanical compatibility with bone.