Ti-based metallic glasses, dedicated to biomedical applications, were first designed by adding large amounts of Ni, Be or Cu to achieve the highest possible glass-forming ability. It is straightforward that those elements are not fully compatible with biomedical applications such as biocompatibility or long-life implants. This work, following an approach based on material design by corrosion performance, proposes different new compositions of Ti-based metallic glasses suitable for dental applications. The corrosion behavior of the new grades was analyzed by electrochemical tests according to standard ISO 10271, for dentistry applications. Corrosion performance was also analyzed through immersion tests for a period of 4 weeks at 37 °C. The role of Ti, Zr, Cu and Si contents on the pitting behavior is discussed.
Nowadays, titanium-based alloys are commonly used in biomedical applications as, for example, materials for dental implants or hip replacements. Their good corrosion resistance, biocompatibility and high mechanical properties for a relative weight make them good candidates 1−3. However, improvements in the design of these alloys for biomedical applications need to be made. Firstly, some of the alloys currently in use have elements such as Al or V which are suspected to be toxic 4. Secondly, the elasticity moduli of current materials are too high compared to that of bone. Stress shielding phenomena can therefore occur, sometimes leading to the loss of the prosthesis 5. Finally, in the context of the development of less invasive surgery, the mechanical properties of these alloys are not sufficient to manufacture smaller implants or prostheses resistant to complex stresses.
Two main paths for the development of titanium alloys for biomedical applications are currently being explored: the design of low modulus titanium alloys (with an emphasis on the beta phase) 6-8 and the design of bulk metallic glass (BMG) 9-12. The use of BMG is of particular interest in the dental field as it would allow the miniaturization of implants 13,14. The latter would be compatible with different jaw morphologies and would limit some aesthetic concerns. Furthermore, the corrosion behavior is generally improved for BMG in comparison with their crystalline counterpart due to the lack of defects (grain boundaries, second phases...).
