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Corrosion behavior of Ti‐xNb‐13Zr alloys in Ringer's solution
Author(s) -
Robin A.,
Carvalho O. A. S.,
Schneider S. G.,
Schneider S.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
materials and corrosion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.487
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1521-4176
pISSN - 0947-5117
DOI - 10.1002/maco.200805014
Subject(s) - corrosion , materials science , dielectric spectroscopy , ringer's solution , biocompatibility , metallurgy , alloy , layer (electronics) , passivity , passivation , polarization (electrochemistry) , electrochemistry , composite material , medicine , chemistry , anesthesia , engineering , electrode , electrical engineering
Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy has been widely used in restorative surgery due to its high corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Nevertheless, some studies showed that V and Al release in the organism might induce cytotoxic effects and neurological disorders, which led to the development of V‐free alloys and both V‐ and Al‐free alloys containing Nb, Zr, Ta, or Mo. Among these alloys, Ti‐13Nb‐13Zr alloy is promising due to its better biomechanical compatibility than Ti‐6Al‐4V. In this work, the corrosion behavior of Ti, Ti‐6Al‐4V, and Ti‐xNb‐13Zr alloys ( x = 5, 13, and 20) was evaluated in Ringer's solution (pH 7.5) at 37 °C through open‐circuit potential measurements, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Spontaneous passivity was observed for all materials in this medium. Low corrosion current densities (in the order of 10 −7 A/cm 2 ) and high impedance values (in the order of 10 5 Ωcm 2 at low frequencies) indicated their high corrosion resistance. EIS results showed that the passivating films were constituted of an outer porous layer (very low resistance) and an inner compact layer (high resistance), the latter providing the corrosion resistance of the materials. There was evidence that the Ti‐xNb‐13Zr alloys were more corrosion resistant than both Ti and Ti‐6Al‐4V in Ringer's solution.