Biomedical Titanium Alloys and Surface Modifications
Summary
Titanium and its alloys are widely used in medical implants due to a combination of low density, high strength and excellent resistance to corrosion and wear. Key developments have focused on tailoring alloy composition and microstructure to achieve an elastic modulus closer to that of bone while retaining fatigue strength for load-bearing applications. Surface modifications—ranging from micro- and nano-scale texturing, acid etching and plasma treatments to the application of bioactive coatings—have been developed to enhance osseointegration, promote cell proliferation and inhibit bacterial colonisation. Advances in additive manufacturing have enabled the production of complex porous architectures that encourage bone ingrowth and reduce stress shielding. In dental and orthopaedic applications, surface roughness and chemistry are precisely controlled to improve initial stability and long-term biocompatibility. Emerging β-type and metastable alloys offer the potential for self-adjusting stiffness and shape-memory effects to match physiological loading conditions. Together, alloy design and surface engineering underpin a growing portfolio of titanium-based solutions for personalised and more durable implants worldwide.
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Biomedical Titanium Alloys and Surface Modifications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biomedical titanium alloys and surface modifications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biocompatibility: the ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response in a specific application.
Osseointegration: the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of an implant.
Elastic modulus: a measure of a material’s stiffness, defined as the ratio of stress to elastic strain.
Surface roughness: the texture of a surface characterised by the presence of peaks and valleys at the micro- or nano-scale.
Porosity: the proportion of void space within a material, affecting mechanical properties and tissue ingrowth.
Additive manufacturing: a process of building three-dimensional components layer by layer using digital models.
β-titanium alloy: a titanium alloy stabilised in the body-centred cubic phase, offering lower elastic modulus and excellent formability.
References
- Towards load-bearing biomedical titanium-based alloys: From essential requirements to future developments. Progress in Materials Science (2024).
- Biomaterials science and surface engineering strategies for dental peri-implantitis management. Military Medical Research (2024).
- Porous metal implants: processing, properties, and challenges. International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (2023).
- A Review of Metastable Beta Titanium Alloys. Metals (2018).
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