Corrosion Resistance of 3D-Printed Titanium Alloy Ti64-ELI Parts for Dental Application

Corrosion in the human body can cause materials to change structurally and release undesirable products that may bring about complications such as toxicity and inflammation. These may jeopardize the mechanical stability of prostheses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of solutions (Ringer's and table salt [NaCl]) and immersion periods on 3D-printed titanium alloy Ti64-ELI samples and the changes in mechanical properties before and after corrosion testing. The microstructure of prepared samples was analyzed, and the formation of alpha- and beta-phases was studied. During testing, the beta-phases showed up as white, and the alpha-phases presented as dark. In both, corrosion by pitting was observed after corrosion analysis. The results show that, by comparing NaCl and Ringer's, the E(corr )of the solutions increased by 0.8 V and the I-corr decreased by an order of magnitude. It was observed that the weight loss in the solutions will lead to dental implant instability and will cause failure.

Automated summary

Corrosion in the human body can cause structural changes in materials and release harmful substances, which may lead to complications. This study evaluated the effects of different solutions and immersion times on 3D-printed titanium alloy samples and found that corrosion in solutions can result in weight loss and instability of dental implants.