Biomedical Titanium Alloy for Implant Application: Processing; Biofunction and Failure Mechanisms - Critical Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/sjmars.5.5.8Keywords:
titanium alloys, biomedical engineering, orthopedic implants, dental implants, additive manufacturing, β-type titanium, porous implants, tribocorrosion, fatigue, surface engineering, implant standardsAbstract
Titanium and its alloys are widely used in orthopedic, dental, spinal and craniofacial devices because they offer a useful combination of high specific strength, corrosion resistance, fatigue capability and a stable oxide surface. Their long-term behavior, however, depends on much more than alloy composition alone. Manufacturing route, microstructure, defect population, architecture and surface condition can all influence elastic compatibility, fatigue, tribocorrosion, osseointegration and infection-related risk. This structured critical review brings together evidence from alloy design, additive manufacturing, surface engineering and implant-failure studies within a processing–microstructure–biofunction–failure framework. Rather than following a formal systematic-review protocol, the review uses a structured narrative search and gives priority to primary quantitative studies and current implant-material standards. Selected β-type alloys have shown elastic moduli of approximately 60–74 GPa, compared with values around 120 GPa for conventional Ti–6Al–4V, while retaining substantial strength. Studies of additively manufactured Ti–6Al–4V further show that defects, post-processing and physiological media can change the mechanism that limits fatigue performance. Overall, the literature does not support simple rules such as lower modulus, higher porosity, greater roughness or stronger antibacterial activity as universally desirable targets, because each can create competing effects on fatigue, corrosion, local stress concentration or host-cell response. A more useful approach is to evaluate alloy chemistry, architecture, defects, surface modification, post-processing, cleaning and sterilization together in relation to the mechanical and biological demands of the intended implant.
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