Simulated Properties of Titanium Alloys as Implant Materials

金属材料，特别是钛及其合金，由于具有上级的耐腐蚀性和生物相容性，被认为是理想的生物医用材料。然而，开发出合适的生物医用钛合金的情况非常罕见。工业用高强度钛合金，如Ti-6Al-4V合金，即使在生物医学领域也有着广泛的应用。材料测试技术也是如此。除了传统的工业方法外，没有合适的技术来评估生物医学材料的性能。在东京医科齿科大学医学齿科工学研究所与伦敦玛丽皇后玛丽和韦斯特菲尔德学院生物医学材料跨学科研究中心合作开展的这项国际联合研究中，开发了由钛和锆组成的含有少量铌的新型生物医用合金，并显示出其上级的性能。为生物材料的模拟试验提供了新的方法。在第三届牙科用钛国际研讨会（1995年8月，悉尼）、第五届世界生物材料大会（1996年5 - 6月，多伦多）和其他一些会议上已经报道了一些结果。

Metallic materials, especially titanium and its alloys are pointed out as ideal biomedical materials, since they exhibit superior properties for corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. However, it's a very rare case to develop proper biomedical titanium alloys. Industrial high-strength titanium alloys, such as Ti-6Al-4V alloy, are still used widely even in biomedical fields. The situation for materials testing technology is same. There is no proper technique to evaluate biomedical materials' properties, other than the conventional industrial method. It is necessary to develop the integrated evaluation system for biomedical materials, considering environment and mechanical conditions of living body.In this international joint research conducted by the cooperation between Institute for Medical and Dental Engineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, new biomedical alloys consist of titanium and zirconium containing small amount of niobium are developed and their superior properties were revealed. It is also developed new simulative testing method for biomaterials. Some results have been already reported at the Third International Symposium on Titanium in Dentistry (August, 1995, Sydney), the Fifth World Biomaterials Congress (May-June, 1996, Toronto) and some other meetings.