Strengthening mechanisms in Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta and Ti-Mo-Zr-Fe orthopaedic alloys

The microstructural evolution and attendant strengthening mechanisms in two novel orthopaedic alloy systems, Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta and Ti-Mo-Zr-Fe, have been compared and contrasted in this paper. Specifically, the alloy compositions considered are Ti-34Nb-9Zr-8Ta and Ti-13Mo-7Zr-3Fe. In the homogenized condition, both alloys exhibited a microstructure consisting primarily of a β matrix with grain boundary α precipitates and a low-volume fraction of intra-granular α precipitates. On ageing the homogenized alloys at 600°C for 4hr, both alloys exhibited the precipitation of refined scale secondary α precipitates homogeneously in the β matrix. However, while the hardness of the Ti-Mo-Zr-Fe alloy marginally increased, that of the Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloy decreased substantially as a result of the ageing treatment. In order to understand this difference in the mechanical properties after ageing, TEM studies have been carried out on both alloys prior to and post the ageing treatment. The results indicate the existence of a metastable B2 ordering in the Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloy in the homogenized condition which is destroyed by the ageing treatment, consequently leading to a decrease in the hardness.