Mechanical properties on ion-beam-textured surgical implant alloys

An electron‐bombardment Hg ion thruster was used as an ion source to texture surfaces of materials used to make orthopedic and/or dental prostheses or implants. The materials textured include 316 stainless steel, titanium–6% aluminum, 4% vanadium, and cobalt–20% chromium, 15% tungsten. To determine the effect of ion texturing on the ultimate strength and yield strength, stainless steel and Co–Cr–W alloy samples were tensile tested to failure. Three types of samples of both materials were tested. One type was ion textured (the process also heats each sample to 300°C), another type was simply heated to 300°C in an oven, and the third type was untreated. Stress–strain diagrams, 0.2%‐offset yield strength data, total elongation data, and area reduction data will be presented. Fatigue specimens of ion‐textured and untextured 316 stainless steel and Ti–6% Al–4% V were tested. Included as an ion‐textured sample is a Ti–6% Al–4% V sample which was ion machined by means of a Ni screen sputter mask so as to produce...