Biocorrosion Behavior of a Dental Shape Memory Alloy

Abstract

Designing shape memory alloys (SMAs) with suitable mechanical properties, playing a predominant role as functional biomaterials and targeted degradation behavior has been a goal in recent time. Biocompatibility within the human body environment is the essential requirement of metals and their alloys used in reconstructive surgery, such as dental implants. In this research, a cooper based SMA was proposed to replace the most common dental bronze, benefit of unique property of pseudo-elasticity. Therefore, alloys that performs well in the air being inert or passive, may suffer a severe corrosion in the body. Bio-corrosion is accelerated by aqueous ions inside the complex biomechanical system displayed by various parts of human body. The microstructure and bio-corrosion behaviors of the SMA alloy in NaCl aqueous solution have been systematically investigated for nine years. The surface morphology of the resulted specimens was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometry (EDX). Electrochemical tests were conducted using simulated body fluid (SBF) solution.