β-Type titanium alloys for spinal fixation surgery with high Young's modulus variability and good mechanical properties

Along with a high strength, ductility, and work hardening rate, a variable Young's modulus is crucial for materials used as implant rods in spinal fixation surgery. The potential in this context of Ti-(9,8,7)Cr-0.2O (mass%) alloys is reported herein. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the alloys were systematically examined as a function of their chromium content, and the ion release of the optimized alloy was investigated to assess its suitability as an implant material. In terms of the deformation-induced ω-phase transformation required for a variable Young's modulus, the balance between β-phase stability and athermal ω-phase content is most favorable in the Ti-9Cr-0.2O alloy. In addition, this composition affords a high tensile strength (>1000MPa), elongation at break (∼20%), and work hardening rate to solution-treated (ST) samples. These excellent properties are attributed to the combined effects of deformation-induced ω-phase transformation, deformation twinning, and dislocation gliding. Furthermore, the ST Ti-9Cr-0.2O alloy proves resistant to metal ion release in simulated body fluid. This combination of a good biocompatibility, variable Young's modulus and a high strength, ductility, and work hardening rate is ideal for spinal fixation applications.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Extensive efforts have been devoted over the past decades to developing β-type titanium alloys with low Young's moduli for biomedical applications. In spinal fixation surgery however, along with excellent mechanical properties, the spinal-support materials should possess high Young's modulus for showing small springback during surgery to facilitate manipulation but low Young's modulus close to bone once implanted to avoid stress shielding. None of currently used metallic biomaterials can satisfy these abovementioned requirements. In the present study, we have developed a novel alloy, Ti-9Cr-0.2O. Remarkably variable Young's modulus and excellent mechanical properties can be achieved in this alloy via phase transformations and complex deformation mechanisms, which makes the Ti-9Cr-0.2O preferred material for spinal fixation surgery.

Cytocompatibility and early osseointegration of nanoTiO2-modified Ti-24 Nb-4 Zr-7.9 Sn surfaces

This study aimed to evaluate the cytocompatibility and early osseointegration of Ti-24 Nb-4 Zr-7.9 Sn (Ti-2448) surfaces that were modified with a nanoscale TiO2 coating. The coating was fabricated using a hydrothermal synthesis method to generate nanoTiO2/Ti-2448. The surface characteristics of the samples were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The cytotoxicity of the fabricated nanoTiO2/Ti-2448 was determined using MTT assays. The proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts cultured on nanoTiO2/Ti-2448 were compared with those cultured on Ti-2448. Disk-shaped implants were placed in Wistar rats. The histological sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (HE), and the histocompatibility was analysed at 4 and 12weeks post-implantation. Cylindrical implants were embedded in Japanese white rabbits, and the histological sections were stained with HE and anti-TGF-β1 to evaluate the histocompatibility and early osseointegration at 4, 12 and 26weeks post-implantation. NanoTiO2/Ti-2448 exhibited a rougher surface than did Ti-2448. NanoTiO2/Ti-2448 was determined to be non-cytotoxic. More osteoblasts and higher ALP activity were observed for nanoTiO2/Ti-2448 than Ti-2448 (p<0.05). Few inflammatory cells were detected around nanoTiO2/Ti-2448, and the expression of TGF-β1 on nanoTiO2/Ti-2448 peaked at earlier time than that on Ti-2448. The results indicate that the cytocompatibility and early osseointegration were enhanced by the nanoTiO2 coating.