Ti-Mg Composite Implant Reducing Young's Modulus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Titanium-based implants have a high Young's modulus of elasticity, leading to stress shielding and potential bone atrophy or osteoporosis due to the mismatch with human bone, and existing surface treatments are complex and limited in effect, while current Ti-Mg biomaterials do not maintain mechanical properties throughout their cross-section.
Innovation Solution
A composite material comprising biocompatible Ti or Ti alloy as a matrix with a biodegradable component, such as magnesium, evenly dispersed throughout the volume, reducing Young's modulus by at least 40% and maintaining mechanical strength, where the biodegradable component forms filaments oriented in a specific direction within the Ti matrix, enhancing fatigue strength and osseointegration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If Ti or Ti alloy is used as implant material, then high mechanical strength and biocompatibility are achieved, but high Young's modulus causes stress shielding and bone atrophy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining Ti or Ti alloy particles with biodegradable component particles (such as Mg, Ca, or their alloys) to create a composite material that achieves both high mechanical strength from the Ti matrix and reduced Young's modulus from the biodegradable component, thereby eliminating stress shielding while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a heterogeneous composite structure where Ti particles provide strength in specific regions while biodegradable component particles reduce stiffness in other regions, with the biodegradable component being evenly dispersed throughout the material volume to locally adjust mechanical properties and match bone impedance
2Object-affected harmful factors
If biodegradable component is added to reduce Young's modulus, then stress shielding is reduced, but mechanical strength and fatigue endurance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials where the Ti or Ti alloy matrix provides the primary load-bearing structure and high strength, while the biodegradable component particles dispersed within the matrix reduce the overall Young's modulus. The composite structure allows the strong Ti phase to carry loads while the softer biodegradable phase reduces stiffness, achieving both reduced stress shielding and maintained mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the content of the biodegradable component within specific ranges (5-50 wt% or 10-30 wt%) to optimize the balance between reducing Young's modulus and maintaining mechanical strength, ensuring the composite achieves the desired mechanical properties for implant applications
3Reliability
If surface treatment is applied to improve bone integration, then osseointegration is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the structural material function and surface treatment function into a single integrated composite material system. The biodegradable component particles are incorporated throughout the material volume, including at the surface, providing both structural benefits (reduced Young's modulus) and surface benefits (improved bone integration) without requiring separate surface treatment processes
Solution Approach 2:
The biodegradable component in the composite material serves multiple functions simultaneously: it reduces Young's modulus to prevent stress shielding, enhances surface properties for improved osseointegration, and provides biocompatibility. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate surface treatment steps, reducing manufacturing complexity
4Strength
If biodegradable component is evenly dispersed throughout volume, then mechanical properties are maintained, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by using discrete particles of biodegradable component (such as Mg, Ca, or their alloys) with controlled size distributions (e.g., 1-10 μm, 10-50 μm, or 50-100 μm) that are evenly dispersed throughout the Ti matrix. This particle segmentation allows for homogeneous distribution without requiring complex manufacturing processes, as the particles can be mixed and distributed during standard powder metallurgy or additive manufacturing processes
Data Source
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AI summary
The composite material comprises a biocompatible titanium (Ti) or biocompatible Ti alloy, and biodegradable component, which is intended to at least partially desorb in vivo in contact with human tissue and which has an Young's elastic modulus lower than used Ti or Ti alloy. The material is prepared from a mixture of the particles of Ti or Ti alloy and the particles of the biodegradable component, wherein the biodegradable component, in particular magnesium (Mg), is dispersed throughout a volume of the material and occupies 2 to 20 volumic % in the material. The biodegradable component is present in a bearing Ti or Ti alloy structure in the form of filaments oriented along an extrusion axis. A manufacturing process comprises fabrication of powders, mechanical blending of powders to a homogeneous mixture and a subsequent extrusion at a temperature from 300 °C to 640 °C. The components are consolidated to a common mass, wherein during a consolidation the biodegradable component is formed into filaments oriented along an extrusion direction. Prior heated and extrusion the powder mixture may be precompacted in order to reach acceptable handling strength and cohesion.