Production and characterisation of mechanical properties of Ti-Nb-Ta-Mn alloys foams for biomedical applications

Development of titanium foams with low Young's modulus as a potential implant material has attracted significant attention. In this work, the effect of manganese on the mechanical properties in compression of Ti-13T-30Nb-xMn foams (x=2-6 wt-%) has been studied. Titanium based alloys produced by mechanical alloying were processed to obtain foams using ammonium hydrogen carbonate with a mean particle size of 35 mm (50% v/v) as a space-holder. Powders and space-holder were mixed and uniaxially pressed to form compacts. The space holder was removed by heating the green compacts to 180 degrees C for 1.5 h before sintering at 1300 degrees C for 4 h in Ar. The Young's modulus of the foam was lower than that of pure Ti, and the yield strength increased with the Mn addition. The Gibson-Ashby, Meyer and Nielsen models were applied to predict the mechanical properties of the titanium foams.