ISSN: 1546-962X
Published Online: 22 June 2005
Page Count: 18

The Application of Ti-15Mo Beta Titanium Alloy in High Strength Structural Orthopaedic Applications

Jablokov, VR
Research & Development, ATI Allvac, an Allegheny Technologies company, Monroe,NC

Nutt, MJ
Spinal Innovations, Inc., Bartlett,TN

Richelsoph, ME
Spinal Innovations, Inc., Bartlett,TN

Freese, HL
Business Development, ATI Allvac, an Allegheny Technologies company, Monroe,NC

(Received 25 October 2004; accepted 18 March 2005)

Abstract

Titanium-15Molybdenum beta titanium alloy is a generic alloy that has been around for a long time, but has never found wide use in the aerospace industry. Beta titanium alloys, in general, and corrosion-resistant biocompatible titanium alloys, in particular, attracted a lot of attention in the medical and surgical device industry in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Until that time, all of the titanium grades used for medical implant applications were based on ASTM “F” standards modeled from aerospace industry and AMS specifications. The CP titanium grades (CP-1, CP-2, and CP-4) and two α + β alloys, Ti-6Al-4V ELI and Ti-6Al-4V, were widely used in aerospace applications and found early acceptance to become the reference metallic materials in ASTM F 748. Two important factors held Ti-15Mo back from commercial applications and use: the physical metallurgy of the alloy and the inability of the then-current reactive metals melting and processing machinery to handle this unusual binary alloy. This paper will briefly review high-technology manufacturing advances and processing technology that have enabled the reliable production of large-scale lots of Ti-15Mo bar and rod product forms. Additionally, mechanical and metallurgical data for semi-finished high strength rod product suitable for highly stressed orthopaedic implant applications will be presented.

Keywords:
metastable beta titanium, metal, orthopaedic, Ti-15Mo, high strength, titanium alloys, titanium, cold work, cold reduction, aging, aging response, heat treatment, spinal devices

Paper ID: JAI13033
DOI: 10.1520/JAI13033
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