Open AccessComparative analysis of weld properties of titanium-niobium, titanium molybdenum and stainless steel archwires
Author(s) -
Vinod Pattabiraman,
Veena Kumari,
S. Mamatha Upadhya,
Nausheer Ahmed
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
apos trends in orthodontics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2321-4600
pISSN - 2321-1407
DOI - 10.4103/2321-1407.139496
Subject(s) - niobium , materials science , metallurgy , titanium , molybdenum , welding , nickel titanium , shape memory alloy
Objective: Ability to achieve sound weld joints is a desirable characteristic for orthodontic archwires. Titanium molybdenum alloy (TMA) has been the only truly weldable orthodontic archwire alloy until now. Titanium-niobium (Ti-Nb) alloy archwires exhibit similar mechanical properties as TMA. Whether sound weld joints can be produced in these wires has not been evaluated thus far. In this study Ti-Nb alloy archwires were compared with TMA and stainless steel (SS) for weld quality, with SS wires serving as the control group. Materials and Methods: Weld joint strength was assessed by subjecting welded samples of TMA, Ti-Nb and SS wires (0.017 Χ 0.025-inch) to a tensile load. The weld joints were also qualitatively assessed by studying the surface characteristics under a scanning electron microscope and the metallographic features under an optical microscope. Results: The weld joint of TMA wire was found to be superior in terms of the strength, surface and metallographic characteristics of the weld joint. Weld joints in Ti-Nb wires had higher strength than those of SS though statistically insignificant. Conclusion: The study concluded that TMA wires are superior to Ti-Nb and SS wires in situations where weldability is a desirable characteristic