The addition of Si to the Ti-35Nb alloy and its effect on the corrosion resistance, when applied to biomedical materials

Alloy elements such as niobium and silicon have been added to titanium as an alternative for new materials to be used in orthopedic implants once they present biocompatibility and favor reductions in the elastic modulus. However, these new materials' behavior, in face of corrosion is still demanding careful investigations because they will be subjected to an aggressive environ, such as the human body. The corrosion resistance of the Ti-35Nb-(0; 0.15; 0.35; 0.55)Si (% in mass) when in physiological medium was assessed by means of polarization curves, open circuit potential and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The compositions of the passive films were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Outcomes show that the alloys presented good rapid repassivation capacity after film breaking under high potentials. The high values of resistance to polarization - Rp - pinpoint that the formed oxide films are resistive. They work as a protecting barrier against aggressive ions. Data suggest that the studied alloys are promising for orthopedic implant applications.