Wear resistance of laser-deposited boride reinforced Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloy composites for orthopedic implants

The inherently poor wear resistance of titanium alloys limits their application as femoral heads in femoral (hip) implants. Reinforcing the soft matrix of titanium alloys (including new generation β-Ti alloys) with hard ceramic precipitates such as borides offers the possibility of substantially enhancing the wear resistance of these composites. The present study discusses the microstructure and wear resistance of laser-deposited boride reinforced composites based on Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloys. These composites have been deposited using the LENS™ process from a blend of elemental Ti, Nb, Zr, Ta, and boron powders and consist of complex borides dispersed in a matrix of β-Ti. The wear resistance of these composites has been compared with that of Ti-6Al-4V ELI, the current material of choice for orthopedic femoral implants, against two types of counterfaces, hard Si₃N₄ and softer SS440C stainless steel. Results suggest a substantial improvement in the wear resistance of the boride reinforced Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta alloys as compared with Ti-6Al-4V ELI against the softer counterface of SS440. The presence of an oxide layer on the surface of these alloys and composites also appears to have a substantial effect in terms of enhanced wear resistance.