Sintered Ti–Cu core–shell alloys: Enhanced mechanical properties and electrochemical response in simulated body fluid

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of core–shell feedstock powders synthesized using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering on the mechanical and electrochemical properties of sintered Ti–Cu alloys. The core–shell microparticles (Ti-3wt% Cu) were sintered using a high-heating-rate vacuum furnace and compared to samples prepared from conventional blended Ti-3wt% Cu and pure Ti powders. Microstructural characterization demonstrated that the core–shell approach produces Ti–Cu materials with higher density, lower porosity, and a more uniform copper distribution, surpassing the blended elemental approach. This structural uniformity and improved alloying correlate directly with enhanced mechanical properties, as evidenced by nanoindentation, which shows increased hardness and Young’s modulus. The superior mechanical performance is attributed to a combination of factors, including solid-solution strengthening by copper and the formation of the Ti–Cu intermetallic phases. The electrochemical behavior was assessed through potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in simulated body fluid. Our results show that key parameters for corrosion assessment, including the corrosion current, breakdown potential, and polarization resistance, were similar to the control samples, indicating that titanium-copper alloys did not exhibit accelerated corrosion under the tested conditions. These results highlight the strong potential of Ti–Cu core–shell alloys for biomedical applications requiring enhanced long-term mechanical and electrochemical performance.

Graphical Abstract

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