Metallic materials, as biomedical functional materials, are an important branch of materials science. They have been used in human implants for more than 400 years. In Britain, pure gold plate was used earlier to repair skull and insert teeth. Later, silver, iron plate, iron wire and iron base alloy were used to fix fracture joints. After 1930, cobalt-based alloys were used as implants in Britain and the United States. During world war ii, a large number of stainless steel implants were used in countries such as Britain, the United States and Japan. In the early 1950s, with the development of rare metals industry, titanium, niobium and zirconium in the processed and cast state were used as human implants in clinical experiments.
Titanium and titanium alloy have been recognized as the most ideal metal materials for human implants in terms of depth and breadth according to relevant researches and a large number of clinical treatment cases in various countries in the world. They have been listed as the third generation metal after stainless steel and cobalt-based alloy in the current medical surgery industry.
Human body implant is a special functional material closely related to human life and health. Compared with other metal materials, the advantages of using titanium and titanium alloy mainly include six points:
1. Light weight; 2. Low elastic modulus; 3. Non-magnetic; 4. Non-toxic; 5. Corrosion resistance; 6. High strength and good toughness.
Titanium and titanium alloy have excellent use characteristics and are recognized as excellent metal materials in the field of biological medicine in the world. Compared with the use of stainless steel, cobalt-based alloy and other metal materials, titanium and titanium alloy have great application advantages and development space.
