Biocompatibility of the Ti81Nb13Ta3Zr3 Alloy

Abstract

Titanium-based alloy with low-toxic metals such as niobium, tantalum and zirconium (TiNbTaZr) was manufactured. The primary weight percentages of elements used for fusion were: titanium, 65%; niobium, 20%, tantalum, 10%; and zirconium, 5%. The TiNbTaZr alloy had a yield strength of about 550 MPa, a tensile strength of about 700 MPa, and a Young’s modulus of about 50 GPa, that is, it was comparable with Nitinol. A primary study of the biocompatibility of the TiNbTaZr alloy using the SH-SY5Y cells showed that the alloy did not have significant short-term toxicicity towards the cells incubated on the alloy surface. The number of non-viable cells was 2.5 times lower on the TiNbTaZr alloy than on Nitinol. The biocompatibility of TiNbTaZr was more pronounced than that of the Nitinol reference sample.