Among the various internal fixation materials used in orthopedics, titanium alloy plates are becoming increasingly common. They not only differ from stainless steel materials in terms of postoperative magnetic resonance imaging compatibility but also exhibit different properties in other aspects.
Titanium alloys have advantages such as good chemical stability, high biocompatibility, high strength, and lightweight. Therefore, they are widely used in the manufacturing standards of implant materials for the human body. Let's take a closer look at the characteristics and features of this material.
What are Titanium Alloys?
Titanium alloys are metals that consist of a mixture of titanium and other chemical elements. Even at high temperatures, these alloys have extremely high tensile strength and hardness. They are lightweight and have exceptional corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures. Titanium has a high affinity for oxygen atoms, which means that even at room temperature in the atmosphere, a very thin and dense oxide layer (TiO2) can form on the surface of titanium alloys. This is also why titanium alloys exhibit excellent corrosion resistance.
Classification of Titanium Alloys
Titanium exists in two crystal forms. At room temperature, non-alloy (commercially pure) titanium has a close-packed hexagonal structure (hcp) known as the alpha phase. When the temperature of pure titanium reaches 885°C (referred to as the beta transus temperature of titanium), the crystal structure transforms into a cubic structure (bcc) known as the beta phase. The performance of titanium alloys mainly depends on the arrangement, volume fraction, and properties of the alpha and beta phases.
