An Overview of the Microstructural, Physical, Mechanical, and Tribological Performance of Beta-Type Titanium Alloys for Total Hip Replacement

Abstract

The design of total hip replacements is subject to ongoing research and development in the structures and materials used. This study provides an overview of the main properties (structural, physical, mechanical, and tribological) of new beta-type titanium alloys designed for total hip prosthesis. The literature review demonstrated that alloying elements addition and the production process significantly impact microstructural changes in Ti alloys, as well as the microstructure adjustments in beta-type Ti alloys could achieve a low elastic modulus, high strength, improved micro-hardness and overall physical characteristics. Furthermore, the tribological behavior of beta-type Ti-alloys is critical for biomedical applications, as these materials must exhibit low wear rates and high wear resistance to prevent wear debris and metallic ion release. Previous studies demonstrated superior wear resistance in the studied alloys, and the strong relationship between the wear resistance and microstructure characteristics. Collectively, these findings suggest that beta-type titanium alloys possess significant potential to address mechanical biocompatibility and wear-related challenges in biomedical applications.