Due to problems such as the stress-shielding effect, strength-ductility trade-off dilemma, and use of rare-earth, expensive elements with high melting points in Ti alloys, the need for the design of new Ti alloys for biomedical applications has emerged. This article reports the effect of various alloying elements on the compressive mechanical performance of Ti alloys for biomedical applications for the first time as a systematic review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines on this subject. The search strategy in this systematic review used Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases and searched the articles using (Beta-type OR β) AND Titanium AND (Mechanical property OR Microstructure) AND Alloying element keywords. Original articles from 2016 to 2022 published in English have been selected for this study as per the inclusion criteria. The results have shown that Nb can be used as the primary alloying element with Ti as it is a strong β-stabilizer element which also reduces the elastic modulus of Ti alloys. The β-eutectic elements (Fe, Cr, and Mn) have also emerged as cost-effective alloying elements that could improve the mechanical performance of Ti alloys. Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloyed with Si has shown potential to withstand the strength-ductility trade-off dilemma. The combination of a Ti-Nb binary alloy has emerged as an attractive material for designing low elastic modulus Ti alloys. The mechanical performance of the Ti-Nb alloy can be further improved using the β-eutectic (Fe, Cr, and Mn) and neutral (Zr, Sn) elements to be alloyed with a Ti-Nb binary alloy. The strength-ductility trade-off issue can be overcome using Si as an alloying element in Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloys.
1 October 2020 in Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
Nanomedicine is a promising approach for tumor therapy but penetration is challenged by complex tumor microenvironments. The purpose of this study is to design nanoparticles and analyze their transport in two abnormal microenvironments through a 2-D simulation. Employing a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach, tumor vascular-interstitial models were initially simulated, and the impact of nanoparticles on the velocity profile and pressure gradient within the tumor microenvironment was observed. Through meticulous mesh analysis, it was determined that optimal outcomes were achieved using a quadrilateral meshing method for pancreatic tumor and a quad/tri meshing method for hepatic tumor. Results showed an increase in vessel diameter correlated with elevated blood flow velocity, reaching a maximum of 1.40 × 10^−3 m/s with an expanding cell gap. The simulation results for pressure distribution show that as vessel diameter increases, the velocity of nanoparticles in blood increases and decreases the pressure of blood. Intriguingly, distinct fluid flow patterns in pancreatic and hepatic tumors, emphasize how microenvironmental differences, specifically cell pore size, profoundly impact therapeutic agent transport, with implications for drug delivery strategies in cancer therapy. These simulation-based insights enable researchers to anticipate nanofluid behavior in realistic settings. Future work, incorporating immune cells, will enhance the understanding of nanoparticle efficiency in cancer therapy.
A new generation of Ti-xNb-3Fe-9Zr ( , 20, 25, 30, 35 wt %) alloys have been designed using various theoretical approaches including DV-xα cluster, molybdenum equivalency, and electron to atom ratio. Afterward, designed alloys are fabricated using cold crucible levitation melting technique. The microstructure and mechanical performances of newly designed alloys are characterized in this work using scanning electron microscope and universal testing machine, respectively. Each alloy demonstrates monolithic phase except Ti-35Nb-3Fe-9Zr alloy which display dual phases. Typically, niobium acts as an isomorphous beta stabilizer. However, in this work, formation of martensitic phases occurs at 35 wt % of niobium among the series of newly designed alloys. Furthermore, none of the alloys fail till the maximum load capacity of machine, i.e., 100 KN except Ti-35Nb-3Fe-9Zr alloy. Moreover, the Vickers hardness test is carried out on Ti-xNb-3Fe-9Zr alloys which demonstrate slip bands around the indentation for each alloy. Notably, the deformation bands and cracks around the indentations of each alloy have been observed using optical microscopy; Ti-35Nb-3Fe-9Zr demonstrates some cracks along with slip bands around its indentation. The Ti-25Nb-3Fe-9Zr alloy shows the highest yield strength of , large plasticity of , and adequate hardness of among the investigated alloys. The Ti-25Nb-3Fe-9Zr alloy demonstrates good blend of strength and malleability. Therefore, Ti-25Nb-3Fe-9Zr can be used effectively for the biomedical applications.
Muscular weakness tends to increase very rapidly due to various medical illnesses such as stroke, paralysis, fibromyalgia, etc. In order to keep tracks of the rehabilitative progress of patients who are suffering from such diseases, it is necessary to acquire data pertaining to finger movements including flexion and extension. Along with range of motions of proximal interphalangeal (PIP), distal interphalangeal (DIP) and meta-capo phalangeal joints, pinching strength is also vital in assessing the progress of rehabilitative therapies. Hence, our objective is to develop an assistive technology in the form of a smart glove comprising of flex and force sensors for measuring flexion and extension movements as well as the pinching strength. To the best of author’s knowledge, commercially available rehabilitation gloves are expensive and have some limitations such as being non-portable, having an antenna mount on the gloves facing upward and so on. The smart glove was able to measure the flexion and extension of finger movements and pinch strength with low-power requirements and low cost associated with production. The flexion and extension of finger movements along with pinching strength of stroke survivors was measured with the aid of the glove and showed promising outcomes. Through the results achieved by our developed glove, we were able to analyze the rehabilitative progress of stroke survivors. Moreover, the data is monitored continuously through liquid crystal display for rehabilitation purposes. Notably, this low cost glove was designed with the aid of flex sensors and force sensors that enabled the effective measurement of flexion, extension and pinching strength of stroke survivors.
1 February 2025 in Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces
Magnesium and its alloys have gained significant prominence as promising biomaterials for healthcare applications due to their advantageous mechanical properties, notably their compatibility with bone tissue. Despite these advantages, their rapid rate of corrosion in physiological environments remains a substantial barrier, leading to the formation of hydrogen gas and elevation of pH levels that impede the process of tissue healing. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) has emerged as an effective surface treatment to improve the corrosion resistance of magnesium as it creates a protective oxide layer. Recent studies have revealed that the incorporation of hydroxyapatite (HA) and alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles into PEO coatings significantly enhances the mechanical and electrochemical properties of magnesium alloys, improving biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and surface hardness. This research aims to investigate and optimize the corrosion resistance and mechanical performance of a HA-Al2O3 composite coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy, with a focus on composition, morphology, adhesion, and corrosion resistance via advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical testing. Preliminary results demonstrate significant improvements in surface hardness and corrosion resistance, highlighting the potential for this composite coating to enhance the longevity and performance of magnesium-based biomedical implants.