Corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta shape memory alloy for biomedical applications

The corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta shape memory alloy have been investigated. Well superelasticity of 4.6% was detected in the Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta alloy with a triphasic microstructure of β, α′′ and ω phases. The alloy performs a higher corrosion resistance than Ti and Ti–6Al–4V indicated by the electrochemical experiments in Hank's and 0.9% NaCl solutions. Low release rate of ions in Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta alloy was also demonstrated by the 21 days immersion tests with the reference of biomedical Ti, Ti–6Al–4V and Ni–Ti alloys. Meanwhile, the Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta alloy performs a well cytocompatibility by MC3T3-E1 cells' adhesion and proliferation tests, which is expected to be utilized as a new biomedical shape memory alloy.