NANOCRYSTALLINE TI-6A1-4V VIA HIGH ENERGY BALL MILLING

摘要

Titanium alloys are suitable for biomedical applications because of their high specific strength; however, they are bio-inert. Functionally graded Ti alloy/hydroxyapatite (HA) implants would be one of the ideal approaches to enhance their bioactivity. Such functionally graded implants require fabrication via co-sintering of Ti alloy and HA. In this study, Ti-6Al-4V powder processing is investigated for the development of nanostructured alloys which can reduce co-sintering temperature. High energy, SPEX type, ball milling is applied to commercially available Ti-6A1-4V powders wherein the particle size, crystallite size, and particle morphology are monitored as a function of the ball milling time. Effects of the process control agent on the reduction of particle and crystallite sizes are also investigated. Optimization of these powder processing parameters can allow lower temperature co-sintering of Ti-6A1-4V with HA to be realized.