Orthopaedic alloy electrochemical behavior: the case of Ti-6Al-7Nb

Abstract

The static electrochemical behavior of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy specimens in three lactated Ringer's solution-based electrolytes was investigated using the d.c. polarization method. It was found that, relative to the case with Ringer's solution having pH = 6.25, decreasing the solution pH to 1 increases the corrosion rate of the alloy but adding bovine serum to the solution only marginally affects the rate. A critical appraisal of the polarization method is presented, and comments on the clinical usefulness of the results are included.