In situ synthesized low modulus biomedical Zr-4Cu-xNb alloys

In order to develop new biomaterials for hard tissue replacements, the Zr-4Cu-xNb (x = 0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9) biomedical alloys with required properties were designed and prepared using vacuum arc melting method for the first time. Phase analysis and microstructure observation showed that all the as-cast Zr-4Cu-xNb samples consisted of α-Zr and Zr3Cu. In addition, the lamellar eutectoid is found near the grain boundary. These alloys exhibited moderate compressive strength (1150–1300 MPa), yield stress (750–1000 MPa), favorable plastic strain (19%–27%), high elastic energy (11 MJ/m3–16 MJ/m3) and low Youngʹs modulus (25 GPa–31 GPa). This good combination of mechanical properties indicates them potential biomedical materials for biological hard tissue replacements.